IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) 1.0 I.I 1.8 1.25 1.4 1.6 .« 6" ► % <^ /a 7 *»' 0^. Photographic Sciences Comoration d V ^^ o ^ signifie "A SUIVRE", le symbole V signifie "FIN". Maps, plates, charts, etc., may be filmed at different reduc Jon ratios. Those too large to be entirely included in one exposure are filmed beginning in the upper left hand corner, left to right and top to bottom, as many frames as required. The following diagrams illustrate the method: Les cartes, planches, tableaux, etc., peuvent dtre filmds d des taux de reduction diff^rents. Lorsque le document est trop grand pour dtre raproduit en un seul clichd, il est filmd A partir do Tangle supdrieur gauche, de gauche i droite, et de haut en bas, en prenant le nombre d'images n6cessaire. Les diagrammes suivants illustrent la mdthode. 1 2 3 1 2 3 4 5 6 ■A«lr*- "'% v^.Jj* BK 'i BRn A ooncis iircurate projected the Enn^ iil SLUG I SliMl'K THE BRITISH EMIGRANT'S ADVOCATE: Ig IgJ T7 -i^' J. Emm A 3F€iv,MrinfAjL FOR THE USE OF I EMIGRANTS AND TRAVELLERS IN BRITISH AMERICA AND THE UNITED STATES. CONTAIXlNa A concise View of the State and Prospects of the Colonists; an =u;curate Descnptum of the Main Routes; a Detail of present and projected Improvements; and a variety of Ini: .mation necessary to the l^migrant, and interesting to the general Reader. WITH BY THOMAS DUNCUMB, FROM NOTES BY JOHN DUNCUIMB, SUKGEON, ETC. OK THE UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH. LONDOX: SLMl KIN & MARSHALL, STATIONERS' COURT- W. D. JOHNSON, BEVERLEY: AND MAY BE HAD OF ALL BOOKSELLERS. If 'I' ^^p ■wmp wmmma >e sj/^.^ f I 1 the p fortl consi PUB groui ^i succe awar( disint Couv notioi the m of eir from lation invest I settler (a che impro well-d liblj I there, will b( I happil I prospe Im feeling emigre TO THE PUBLIC I The Author of the following work having solicited the patronage of the Right Honourable the Secretary for the Colonial Department, his I.ordship, after mature consideration, declined extending that patronage on PUBLIC GROUNDS. Now these being the very grounds on which the Author had built his hopes of success, he feels assured that a public tribunal alone will award him that meec' of encouragement which every disinterested enquiry after truth may seem to mejit Convmced as he is that a dissemination of corr.^ct notions respecting our American Colonies, will prove the most effectual means of maintaining a steady current of emigration, and thereby relieve the mother country from the increasing pressure of a superabundant popu- lation ; he has endeavoured, by a recent personpl investigation of the state and prospects of the Canadian settler, to place in the hands of the projecting emigrant a cheap, correct, and practical guide to the rapidly improving territories of the Western World. There the well-directed energies of the British settler will infal- libly ensure for him an honourable independence- there, m the bosom of his family, his declining years will be solaced by the grateful recollection of hardships happily surmounted, and by the prospect of the growing prosperity of his descendants. Impressed with these sentiments, and with every teeling of respect, the Author subscribes himself the emigrant s friend and servant, J. D. 1 * A 2 ,5!TO wm. Ji iL'ouId he truly iirKjmioful on the part of the An- thor, ivere he to omit an acknoivledtjment of the nrdversal. Idndne.'s ivhich he experienced from his numerous and patriotic countrijmen ; ivho readilij and voluntarily aided, on all occasions, in furnishin(/ him leith much valuable irformation, ichile t>'/rcllin(/ on the Continent ^ - - ^- -Jv* ^* "i.."^— V-'"' ) I ! ^. p" >•* ...."'■•■■■ J V- -..<•• • ■..,,/. \'l ■I . / 7 O F r< /Ay-.' .v* -N' ' )• hfy A ^ \i hfii.xy y / yd,' < '•' ■ n i Mn i i i : %; l^ i If 'ii'-. ■•Jr. % w I II » ijy--, W,. K • TRB EMIGRANTS ADVOCATE. Emigration is an act of vast importance, and ought to be well understood and weighed in the mind of every person who intends to emigrate, and most parti- cularly by men with large families of yoang and nearly useless children, before they fully determine to leave home and country in roaming for a settlement in a foreign land ; neither should the step of emigration be taken by an individual with the idea of leaving all his cares and troubles behind him, for, most certainly, emigration alone will produce grievances innumerable and unexpected, to the most wise and discreet. How- ever, these temporary dithculties, would be much soothed, if more and deserving attention were given to the advice of the experienced, who having passed the ordeal of emigration, know well the annoyance of a sea voyage across the mighty Atlantic ocean to the inexperienced landsman ; — and the no less annoyance of transporting themselves and iamilies and heavy luggage some hundred of miles up the mighty North America rivers, aller their arrival at the out ports of ^i I "i^' I t the country. Would you advij^e any person to go ? is the first and every-day question to every individual who perchance may have visited the North America continent. The general answer is, — " No, I will not advise or persuade any person to go, they may please themselves." Such will not be my answer to such inquiries, for I would say to the proper person qualified for emigration, — Yes ; go immediately, without further delay, for the sooner you arrive in the province the better. To advise every inquirer to emigrate, would be an act of the deepest treachery ;— to advise no one to take such a step, would be c(|ually base and deceiving. It unfortunately happens, that an indiscribable some- thing is passing in the mind of the emigrant during the disadvantages and triuls of his onward progress from his native country, to the land of his adoption. This affectionate thought, this pride of his imagination- nature's all-powerful and deep instinct— is in a too-lbld degree heightened when pcrchnnce siekne.-s, elisaster, and misfortune is cTicountcred. Home sickness, is thereby produced,— which is a fnmilitu' and well known term ior a gloomy train of feelings — the mind of the emigrant being too suddenly di.^torted by a change of habits and associations, to nearly a complete wreck of the mental faculties, all from the idea that no country in the world eqvuils the coiivl ry of his birth. Thus dissatis- fied and disgusted with ever thing in the country of his adoption, immediately after his arrival, he quits the best and brightest prospects to return to his former home of dissatisfaction, cares, and penury. ' %^ i [1 to go ? is individual ;h America I will not may please 'er to such DU qualified lout further rovince the te, would be ]e no one to l1 deceiving. 3iible some- t during the ■ogress from )tion. This lagination — in a too-fbld '.-s, disaster, sickness, ia well known mind of the a c ha 11 LTD of etc wreck of 10 country in 'hus dissatis- mntry of his juits the best mer home of Every future emigrant, prior to his leaving the home of his forefathers for the wilds of ; new country, must expect numerous and unavoidable disasters of daily occurrence, and, apparently, of no small magnitude ; but all of them really trifling grievances and difficulties when compared with the extreme toils, of settlers of Bome twenty years ago, who travelled, or rather clambered up into the interior of the country, fearing not, though every step only served more clearly to unfold the inhospitable and forbidding aspect of all around thorn ; t)icy not having the accommodation of canals, steam packets, and railways ; conveniences which are now found on all the main routes of the provinces. I say the emigrants of former years had not those conveniences, they having to hire vehicles at most extravagant rates, to transport themselves and luggage through the forest, intersected with swamps of unknown extent and danger, passing their lonely nights in camp, embowered by the pathless forest, neither tavern, nor an inhabited shantee to be found perhaps within a score miles or further. Such were the rough difficulties, per- plexing struggles and dangers of which the former settlers had to complain and encounter, all of which had a tendency to embitter their already painful feelings ou severing themselves from their friends and native country. However this demonstrates clearly what incredible hardships native and patriotic enterprise cim surmount. Modern improvements have made things widely different for the emigrant of the present u* mmmm r,-.:-* time, for the system of transportation is completely changed, every thing being made to contribute to the pleasure and convenience of the emigrants of the pre- sent time, though further improvement is much required in the well settled parts of the provinces. The emigrant on his first arrival in the province, will instantly observe that the experienced hand has been there before him, and has removed vast and innumerable impediments, for instead of finding all rustic and rude as in the primeval states of the provinces, he will find similar conveniences of transport to those of his forsaken country ; coaches, railways, and steam packets, guided for the mu4 part by a like class of his patriotic country- men, of course, of the same language, habits, and manners. A source this oi' the greatest pleasure to a British emigrant in a foreign land, whose mind and situ- ation are much disturbed by recollections of his once dear, now distant and forsukcn home and country. Afier this never to be forgotten long train of toils, if the least discretion or ordinary foresight be exercised by the emigrant, he will locate himself contingent to some of his own countrymen, with whom, perhaps, he lived on the terms of friendship prior to their leavhig their country for emigration, whose cheerful inquires after tried and distant friends and country, and affectionate counsel, will all 'end, no little, to banish imaginary disasters and artificial wants, by demonstrating the value of abundance and independence, as the only true and real comforts and enjoyments of home. Of all unsuitab lar and cxccptin ainuseni are far i point of wealthy >iUropei Neitl really ] any fan means i the CO descrip human gencro results; nide h: poor, ] thousa gratitv memo Anc attemi uKirkc comu as en mout )mpletely itc to the the pro- required emicrrant y observe fore him, jdiments, s in the I similar forsaken i, guided country- tils, and sure to a ind situ- his once ,-. After the least hy the some of lived on ig their ■es after ctionate lagiuury ing the ul/ true I 9 Of all conntties in the world America is tbe mo«t „„,„Uable, I believe, for wealU.y .ne„, all being .rre,,,- Ur and i.d.ospitable, wben compared with England, .xeeutin.^ in a few of the most populous cities ; and he :::. enll, of the large»t and most noted of the c.tie, are far inferior to those of similar chics m Kugland n point of variety suitable to the artificial demands of the wealthy, to say nothing of the climate, so nnfccndly to Kuropcaus, , N-oilhor is it the country for the other extreme, the reaUy poor man; and it is truly nnfeeliug to slup off any Lnilv without llr.t providing thcm wid. adequate mins of 'transporting themselves up into the mtenor of ,Ue country ; and cases of the most heart rcndmg description have frequently occurred. Had not the Uuncne and ch.rhable residents of Qnebec and Montr,..! generously provided a fund for such contingencies, he results, in many cases, must have been fatal. Ihus the rx.de hardships ..f emigration necessarily entailed on the „„or, have been smoothed and rendered supportable to thousands of this low grade, who will acknowledge wit , gratitude tin- bounty of their miUuown tricnds till memory fails tlicni. ., . 1 1 f Another reason why the penniless family sh.uild not attempt emigration is, because a poor man's wealth and n,arkctablc commodity is his labour, for which kind of eommodlly there is often a worse market than at home, „, employment is often very scarce during the winter montlL;'the ^.verity of the winter frosts suspending '% ulmost all traffic during tlie long winter, excepting chopping and a few other trilling kinds of employments. In the summer monlhs, labour and trade of every des- cription are vast and extensive, and the labourer will find no difficulty in procuring plenty of work and good wa^es, and on the whole will do far better, than in England during the summer months. Land is the grand loadstone of attraction to the majority of emigrants to North America, and is deser- vedly the only true and real object worthy the ro-?arch of the enterprising, for on the possession of land only can he calculate with any prospect of certtiinty upon attaining a growing independence. From this circum- stance alone it is self-evident that agriculturists are the most suitable individuals for emigration ; and I would advocate, with the most impartial and honest intentions, the emigration of such men of small capital, in short any able and industrious agriculturist who can command sufficient means to transport himself and family across the ocean and up into the interior of the Upper Province of Canada, and have, after piiying all expenses, 'the sum of from fifty to two hundred pounds to spare to purchase land, need fear nothing, for by sobriety and economy, combined with industry, he will soon find himself inde- pendent of the world, its frowns and its favours. If the new settler so fortunately circumstanced has a large and liealthful I'amily he will be a happy man, for his children's combined exertions as they grow up and become useful, \.-ill be \'dA growing weakh, for uo man will be heard long to complain of poverty as on account of his overwhelm- ing family, a source of just complaint in England, where the children must be under parental protection for a long series of years, before they become qualified to contribute the least mite towards their own maintenance ; it is otherwise in America, for the larger the family the better, as they soon become, by early application, the most valuable help-mates in the emigrant's establish- ment, and thereby assist greatly in providing a fund for their own early independence. Another circumstance of singular importance, and very contrary to the usages of England, is this, — if unfortunately a family should be deprived of their parents, they will not suffer in the least lor want of able and humane protectors ; for there will be numerous applications for the orphan children by the neighbouring farmers. I don't pretend to say that the children are taken by the neighbours merely irom motives of huma- nity, but partially through such motives, combined with the known value of their industry in a few years ; for the applicants generally choose the strongest and most healthful girls first, which explams no little their motives. There will, however, be no necessity for this adop- tion of the children of industrious parents, except within a short time after their arrival in the country ; for if an industrious man be si)ared only for a few years, he is certain to have ample provision for his family, however numerous. This is another great advantage b2 n % 1 1^ 8 over England, where a family man will tave nothing to ZueatU of all his hard earnings, after a long 1* of 5„,ar indnstry, to his children, to brighten the. pros- pects in the world, hnt must leave them penmles , and If, unfortnnately, they are young, the parish and poor- house is their only sure and cheerless home, where hey are often brought up regularly entailed burdens oMh parish generation after generation. It wonld be an eaTyt sktotlndthe name of one family, as panpe.s, on the parish books of innumerable parishes ior more han a century in succession, which cannot be the case H America, where land, the sure foundation of true m- dependence, is so easily attained by the mdnstnons. The American plan of early industry certamly ha, one great disadvantage, that of depriving the clnldrcn of a good education, so necessary in England for every pursuit, though prohably not so valuable to an Amen- Ln fanner located on the verge of eivdv.ation loo ™ue.h, however, cam>ot he said in praise of thelirmsh government and the provh.eial legislature; lor they Lve procured the erection of school-houses and churches in every advantageous situation throughout the settled parts of the provinces, and have g,ven every support to their infant seminaries, after providxng a Jtable master to conduct them, who is c pelled to p„«s the ordeal of an examination prior to ms bemg allowed the yearly salary of the legislature. 1 h.s plan of fostering education, by legislative influence, has done „„ch already, and ere long will plant learamg and e ^— ' i i civilization where as yet it is scarcely known, and will render the colony eminent for industry and intelligence — advantages which can never be attainable without edu- cation. I will grant that thousands who have emigrated to America under much less favourable circumstances, havhig little, if any, money left on their linal location, still have done well ; so much so, that after a few years of industrious exertion and economy, they have become proprietors of several hundreds of acres of land, with good and respectable homestead, and every other neces- sary comfort appertaining to agricultural pursuits, which is far more than the same class of persons ever could expect to arrive at in England, if we calculate by ge- neral rules and natural events, and for obvious reasons ; for in England there is not the extensive field for agri- cultural enterprise to men of small means. Men of irregular habits are the most unfit persons for emigration, spirituous liquours being exceedingly cheap, and as such easily atrahiablc by such troublesome mem- bers of society. Therefore, I would honestly advise Buch men, who allow their bad practices to overcome their reason, to remain at home, and by all means never attempt leaving their native laud for another, where they cai have but an inferior prospect of improving their circumstances, but will to a certainty involve ihcmsclves and family deeper into misery and distress. Such is the fate of numbers who have already tried the expeiiment, and who may be Iband in crowds in the ports of de- 10 barkatlon, v-allowingin tlie haunts of degradation and poverty Occasionally they may be seen pitifully craving of the humane captain the favour of a free passage bonie to their native land, under the excu.e of the cli- xnute not agreeing with their health, or that they could not settle, not liking the country, when in f\ict they are their own worst enemies ; for if they would only be- come sober and economical, they would soon reclaim their character and become independent, since the poor and distressed emigrant will readily fmd innumerable 'aad worthy friends amongst his countrymen in the pro- vince, who will cheerfully afford their aid to his deserv- incr energy. After due consideration of the advantages aiid disadvantages of emigration to British America, as found by experience, 1 am willing to admit that thou- sands, now at this present time struggling with innu- merable difficulties, the result of the present great depre-i.ent relieved by permission given o the parties! complete the ceremony before a Magis«a^e, by whom a marriage license is given. As xtrs, how- ever, a long journey must frequently be undertaken Tefo^ the ;nius lovers can be united in the bon s o hymen. This circumstance may have given nse to the following ceremony on such occasions :-The friends .nd neighbours of the parties meet together, and eelcbrate the event by a discharge of guns, and nngu^ of bells (such as are usually attached to their sledges) , procession is also formed by these mnsqueteers and ringers, drawn up in couples, a young man and woman being nsuall) joined together, who accompany the par- ties to the ehnreh, and from thence to their abo. a. This ceremony is ctillcd a Wedding Bee. W THE CHOICE OF A SHIP. Having once determined to emigrate, and on com- mencing the regulation of affairs for the departure, the attention is immediately given to the selection of a ship. In general more attention is bestowed on the large and beautiful appearance of the ship than is really necessary, at the same time mipardonably neglecting a far more important piece of knowledge, on which depends the comfort or discomlort of the whole voyage — I mean some necessary knowledge of the superior officer of the ship, as to his character and conduct towards emigrants (supposir'if he had been employed in a similar service before). For if not a gentleman of a good and kind disposition, and of strict sober habits, the most fatal accidents may occur, and most certainly have occurred repeatedly, in ships under the comnumd of intoxicated captains, who fear nothing, neglecting order and every useful and necessary regulation on board of their ship, which is partially in a state of mutiny during the whole voyage, at least irregularity and drunkenness reign un- controlled. Therefore, without such satisfactory infor- mation, it would be highly censurable in emigrants to 15 risk themselves and families on board of ships so com- manded, no matter how large and beautiful they may appear, for a comlbrtless voyage would be a certain con- sequence of such neglect. It is also highly censurable in any captain to have a spirit store, for the sole pur- pose of gain ; for as soon as the ship is far enough from port to avoid the act of parliament, the captain opens his grog store, and retails freely to all who choose to buy, whereby many emigrants of a certain class have been known to have passed from England to America in a continued state of drunkenness, to the great an- noyance of the sober and peaceable passengers. Emi- gration certainly demands the strictest scrutiny of the legislature, if for the correction of this evil alone. — In Canada I heard the names of certain Yorkshire cap- tains branded with the imputation of this dangerous breach of naval discipline. A largo ship, in some respects, is advantageous, as it most certainly tends to sooth the comfortless sea voy- age of the steerage passenger, the ship being high and roomy between decks, where, of course, it will be more airy and healthful — a consideration this of the greatest importance to the whole o^ the passengers, and more particularly so to the emigrant with his large family, surrounded most probably by sea sickness and fevers during the greater part of the voyage, which alone is a source of great anxiety and alarm to the heads of families ; therefore the airy and roomy ship will have advantages readily valued by the most careless observer. ■ s The number of passengers likewise is a subject worthy of inquiry during a visit to the ship, \herefore let me impress on the mind of the emigrant, not, on any account, to neglect this requisite piece of informa- tion, for no scene in the world can, I think, equal the heart rending scene of a crowded ship of sea sick emi- grants, particularly during a storm. For almost every one suffering more or less, few arc able to give the least assistance to the young and helpless piissengers. To avoid as much as possible the annoyance of a crowded ship, the emigrant must ascertain the precise number intended to be taken prior to his paying his money for passage, or removnig on board any of his luggage. After the passage money has been paid such inquiry will be useless, the case will then be materially aUercd, for the passenger will no longer ha"c a will of his own, he must take things iis he finds them, and must patiently try to make himself comfortable with such accommo- dation as the unfeeling ship owners and their n gents please to afford them. Inquiry as to the number and state of the births in tlie steerage can be made at pleasure, bui' this simple examination is fallacious and ought not to be wholly depended upon, yince tljc num- ber of births can be easily increased if applicants become unexpectedly numerous. Ships have, in trnth, been frequently known to have been crowded with emigrants nearly to suffocation, much to the injury of the health of the emigrants, and whose sickness during the voyage was much aggravated by this crowded state of 17 tho ship. There is certaiuly a law en this ...Vjeet, b»t TX -y other ahuses which .i.ht he cc.ecte by laws, could the law be always enforced. Cat -t , totally impossible for the poor emigrants to enforce . i are the greatest sufferers, if - the onb-^.^^-^^ by saeh base and cruel practices, '<>',''= 1^^'""'^ ""'"'' extent of such in.posi.ious unless by dear bought expe- •r which teaches him thoroughly during the voyage O landiu^ I'owever, his ide.s instantly start xnto another channel, ana nc ,,,.•„„ f.,, fnrtn- which irritated his mind. Indeed tins .s so Ur iortu Z. for were he inttc.ibly resolved on rep— for p t iltiee, ho woald be much and irreparably mjured rthrne.es;ary waste of his time and money wh.h be could ill afford. Under such impress.cns the e^ g„„ts generally becalm their irritated '-hn s . Mb. 'pleasing consolation of their safe arrn^l - ^^^fj/ Lir choice. Trying to forget the affair he does nv , bowever, forget to write the whole partreulars to ^ Sends i; England, advising them to be more careful m Sing to'the voice of experience thauhe haa W bimself Every emigruut after his choice of a slnp, ^rLther stud.es his own and his fan.ily's interest, i the time of payhig his passage and --^^ — „ust demand a receipt, which rece.pt shoiud sla e he exact day of sailing, if wind and weather perm.t and Tuot on" of port on the exact day of apponrtment the l^eyto be returned if demanded. Th.s proeedr. I^iel^o materially the usual scene on the day c I ' appointed for sailing ; otherwise the passengers will not he allowed to complain, for reasons already well explained, for immediately after the money is paid, the ■ otfieers and agents have a new will of their own, — they show courage and breathe the spirit of independence to the poor and illl'ated emigrants. I have seen in certain Hritish ports serious misunderstanding on this subject, which was never afterwards amicably settled. But to bring the subject nearer home, I will state that in the port of Hull, so famous for emigration to Quebec, few of the ships with emigrants sail on the exact day appointed by advertisement, iv,\y, often not for some days or weeks after. The repeated misunderstanding which has occurred in Hull on this suliject, of sailing out of port, scarcely needs remark. And 1 knew of histances where so much ill blood was shown by the contending parties, that the voyage was thereby rendered a scene (jf daily quarrel and abuse between the passengers and othcers, often verging on open ruj)ture. 1 must side with the emigrants, for they are oitcn the greatest sufferers by this delay in port. It certainly is nothing but a paltry and jiclfish system, adopted in general by the ship-owners and their agents, from interested motives only, heeding not the injured feeUngs of the needy emigrant. Certainly the owners or agents have as much time to -prepare for the voyag'^ as the poor emigrant, with his large family, who, it will be naturally ex- •pected, can ill afl'ord to remain idle in the dock for a ... i*"- kiugth of 'timcrufter the period appointed for sailing. — 1 This breach of appointment becomes serious to the emigrant, who is compelled to consmne a portion of his sea stock of provisions, already perhaps very scanty ;. or expend a farther sum of money, which he can but equally ill afford. The Liverpool packets to New York sail on the exact day of appointment by advertisement, why should not the same respect be given to appomt- ment by the merchant ships ? The chief, if not the only reason for this delay is, to avail themselves of every opportunity by time to crowd the ship to the agent's satisfaction ; but had the emigrant a written me- morandum like the one already recommended, he would have a specific cure in his own hands ibr the evil com- plained of, to be applied if required by circumstances. It is too late to complain when out on the ocean, or when, through distress of weather and length of voy- age, the stock of provisions is nearly exhausted, which is often the case wilhihe poorest of the emigrants, whoso scanty means will only allow an hiferior supply of ne- cessary stores for the voyage. The suiferings of a fa- mily whose stock of provisions is run out is often severe, which distress for want of provisions would probably have been completely prevented hud the ship sailed on the appointed day, for the provisions at least would have been saved which was so idly consumed in the dock ; and a week or ten days provisions is no slight supply towards the latter end of a voyage. There is scarcely a week passes over during the sea- son of emigration, without some of the newspapers of c-2 r 20 mei«rtsofdeba-k8tionhavmgIoDgp«ragrapIisinsertca, ..a signed by a body of emigrants, bitterly compW i„g of the cruel treatment which tbey received from ths officers of the ship during the voyage, a.td of the most exorbitant prices charged for provisions and other need- M articles, ^hich necessity compelled them to purchase of the captain, their insufficient store being consumed by the unusual length of the voyage, occasioned by fttron?: adverse winds. Such, then, are some of the grievances ^^•luch emi- grants freciucntly encounter; treatment wh.ch ,s ve=^- Ls and perplexing, and not uufroquon. y ,s the p .- mary and only real cause which blunts the em.grant Lit of enterprise, who now bogh.s for the hrst t.me t; lament his felly in leaving his n:m>-e country He loses his wonted energy through the unoxpeetcd .liberal treatment experienced towards the later part ol the vojv a^e, and he regards with indifference ,ho; country ol hi. hUs, the land of his adop.iotv. This nnortunatc 'sta'te has a twofold tendency to mi.^ous results, lor >t completely disables the settler for overeom.ng the re- mainuig unforeseen difficulties in his progress mto the interior of the country -, for though traveUi.ig m Ame- rica is much improved of late, it is not like travcUn.g in Europe, for the luggage must be often transhipped if you proceed far up into the interior of the country ; and this is the most troublesome and expensive part of the routine of emigration, demaudUig every encrgyto »vaid hrclaso and imposition. It will, indeed, rcquiro to . 4- ^mui^r>^ Vi i ii 21 hawk's eye to secure from .«A iuconvenieucs -.mv ,..U, numerous. „ae„c„.W.^^ of nearly useless articles. <^".''>^ ' ;'" ' ^^^^^.^ ,,,.j, principles of economy. 1 l'.>^= ^ j,^ ''.»^^^"^°^r'-:fTu;i:i::::::ic.ouidi,. affair tlmn tliemsehc., it tins ^ ^^^^^^ ^^^^ ^t 't^:.:tt:i;ii:t:a;tl. forest, con. T .Ill^n:! Ms Lrclisjoiutod ana otherwise !' ""'I t -°of ins foolish ana expensive fancy ir^rto'over value ana t.ms,ort .em ^^^^^^^^ ^esentsituation..utsn^i.a.«n..^^^ often place more value on an odclu r:.l^taieMo.i.i.^cnjmpuremot.«. ::rt'rir;Ht..UeMt is offered a.. Ill thoroughly impress it ou their memones, nevu to :CtUa^a,olaenrnle^,f vast inn- Take as little useless luggage as possible the e , rlns the hi-'age the Letter. It is true the cost ol trausportmg lie.uj a ^^^^^^^^ ^_^^^^ ,v„ \tlantic ocean is hut tiillmg, }^>- •■ "It of transporting heavy hurdens from the port .,. ::rn;.MherUeeorNewYork,thet.in.r.nen.W ■•»j>'"rv» i 22 p<.»r(a of debrirkation, up into the province of tJppef Canada or the western parts of the United States, a distance of perhaps more than one thousand miles inhmd, will be a task of importance to the new settler of an/ grade, but to the poor and nearly moneyless emigrant it would be serious if not ruinous, and should not be attempted under any consideration whatever; the emi- grant's plea of excuse is the great sacrifice made on selling his furniture ; it may be so, but such considera- tions arc of little moment when compared with the expense of transport, which is not all, for with the most careful attention to packing and tran ■sporting furniture, it vrill be much and irreparably injured. And after all there is one ceitainty, that furniture is not easily con- verted iiiro money, when the emigrant arrives at the end of his jouruoy. Bo.^ide.-?, innnediatcly on arriving a the chosen plnce of his location, ho will have to make- himself con^Mit in a log shantee, tnily rustic and incon- venient. But siifh buildings, generally speaking, will be the fir^t pliiee of shelter attainable by the new settler in the American forer.t. It ccrtahily cannot be thought, that there is any lack of wood proper for the manufac- ture of furniture in America ; in truth, furniture is now easily procured in most parts of the provinces on very moderate terms, and far more suitable to the forest scene and log house, than any that could be taken out of Enfrhind : rich and valuable furniture is not often pes- sessed by the general class of emigrants to America. The first and most ia>portant articles of attention are the mc^-£Z^ry £t«t3 ur Ihr voyage ; ihf stock of pro- I ■^f 3 i3 visions ought to be ample and of good variety, according to the means of the emigrant. Cabin passengers havd not this part of equipment for the voyage to encounter, and I would advise all who can conveniently provide the means to engage as a cabin passenger, for the greater comfort and attention enjoyed by such passengers dur- ing the voyage more than compensates for the extra ex°pense of the cabin fare. To such every care and attention is given with cheerfulness by the officers and servants of the ship, day and night, if required, in casd of sickness or any other untoward event. However, such advantages are not within reach of the general class of cmignmts, who, for tho most part, engage as Bteerygc passengers, and, consequently, will have to find themselves with every article required during the voy- age (excepting water, coals, and berth) for their own comfort and relief during sea sickness. The inexperienced voyager must expect the usual sen sickness for, at least, a few days, if not weeks, which has a tendency to produce a peevish and irritable state of mind, with an irregular and craving appetite, which demands as really necessa - great variety of articles to complete the provision stores for the voyage. A stock of provisions will be required for at least fifty days, which may be reckoned the average time of a voyage between England and North America. The emigrant must also give his best attention to the quality of the goods, while purchasing them, and not by any means aUowthe gentlemen called passenger broken ^1 r--* i to furnish his sea stores, for, depend upon it, these caterers for the poor emigrant are often not so honorable as they pretend to be, but are the very worst persons the emigrant can apply to for advice or assistance in any such matters. They may not .:.! be cheats, but I am grossly deceived of the mnjor part of them be not so, for I have witnessed the most notorious impositions, by some of these gentlemen vagabonds or their liirUngs. They certainly offer kindly to give every information to the inquiring emigrant, but it must be cautiously accepted ; however, I shall again allude to this subject. It is a general mistake on the part of most emigrants in laying in their sea stores, to provide themselves with too large a quantity of hard ])iscuits ; a small quantity might advantageously be taken : the most advisable plan is to lay in a good supply of flour, which can be applied to family purposes in a variety of ways. All sorts of dried provisions are likewise to be taken, such as hams, beef and tongues, with a plentiful supply of ' tea and coffee, with other articles of daily use in every household ; on no account forgetting an ample stock of eggs, which arc best preserved in salt ; and some good potatoes,— a most valuable article on ship board. Of liquors, I would advise the emigrant to be rather spar- ing, certainly a few pints of brandy, if the family be large, is both useful and necessary amongst his sea stores, ' though, for the most part, too much is taken, particularly by a^'certain class of emigrants, to the great discomfort of the more prudent and peaceable passengers: Ale- •"tr** f 1i$ „ost astonishing and nearly -^^J'^ ^ ^,„^i. ff.rnr in ttiB ffiost ssverG sea sickness, oy 5 relief I never -« J^^r X -o--'^^'^ " '^^^ though so h-gU y -'I;;;;' ;/,, „„acrs.ood to say ::i::x::r::i.— .anrmgtno. nrr:u:rf:hlehVaiVWo„nan>ostgene.«^^ jr..go.a.Ur>,-plece,or^yae^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ tUe provinces ior - J- ^^t to be ...ken, as the f.rst :;:r:nriter.ear Thegre...^ d.,v in America de.nands the most bght kmd oi b- ciay lux^i" i:anauiaii winter winter clotliing reamres the greaiesi a ,11 'I 26 intended settler ; with a few pairs of shoes and boots of good quality, for such articles arc very had in the colony ; the leather being most wretched, of course, the shoes cannot have much service in them. A small quantity of crockery ware maybe taken, for it is expeu- eive in the provinces, but I beg that the emigrant will make a small quantity suffice, for it is heavy luggage and ought to be well packed in a cask : in fact, casks are the only safe and manageable packages for ship board. A small chest of joiner's tools would be of the greatest advantage to the settler in the provinces, for wood being so abundant it is generally used in every purpose of building and fencing. I would also advise every emigrant with a large family, to place one of the ablest of his sons in a situation where he midit learn something of the management of joiner's tools, for a few months before the time appointed for sailing, for a knowledge, however superficial, of this jirt, will be the first called into requisition in building the Ljg shantee on locating in the ibrest. The only remaining articles of general use which I should recommend takhig to America, would be a few small parcels of garden seeds of the most common and useful sorts, such as cabbage, turnips (white and swedes), onions, tares, rape and trefoil, with others, which will be familiar to the emigrant with the least knowledge of gardening, with a few thousands of quick-wood, or a bushel or two of haws, for nothing, in my belief, is so much wanting in the cleared parts of the provinces, as good and neat thorn hedges, which i il ;^f 27 would wlioUy deprive it of its present wild and inhospit- able appearance. White thorn grows well in the pro- vinces, for I saw some patches of thorn fences belonging to a spirited individual who had sent for his young wood from England. I think qui^k-wood might be taken over as a very profitable speculation, by any emigrant, as I have a barrel of haws ready to send in a few days to a friend, to whom I am indebted for much valuable information. When I asked if I could send any thing from England in return for his favours, « Yes," he replied, "two bushels of haws will be the most valuable present, for I am tired of these snake- fences, and it would be the pride of my heart, to have my farm subdivided with thorn fences like jMr. "s farm in lloldcruc.-ss." 1 would particularly mention, that, on no account would it be advisable for any (except the weaUliv) emigrant on his first embarkation to trouble himself or risque any part of his little wealth by attcmpdiig to export any kind of live stock, for the hazard of a safe lauding with his stock is great, since they require great care and attention by an experienced hand during the voyngc, whereas the sea sick emigrant is not competent to give it ; thus the cattle will suffer if not assisted by some friendly hand. And as to the speculation being prolitable, it might be so, but on the whole it is too uncertain to be attempted by the poorer emigrant, who will find better stock in the provinces than he would be led .to suppose, from the vague reports current in Eiiigland,. 1 have no objection to the transportation of r i *.^ if I, (' ■ I good stock by the wealthy emigrant, who can afford the L,«e of a loss, for though a number of good horses .Bd other sort of cattle have been taken over of late by several spirited and worthy individuals, who actually came over for them, still there is a large demand lor more by the vast increasing population. As a matter of opm.on on profitable speculations by transporting cattle over to the colony, I would say take over a few pairs of (he most despised and iU treated of all the beasts of burden in England, the ass, for I never saw above one pa.r durmg a tour of some thousands of miles in North America and thev had been sold for nearly thirty pounds. II they could be taken over for a small premium as passage money, their provender would cost but a trifle, hey .ould turn out a most valuable speculat.on, for hey are much wanted i. the whole of the western world, as useful beasts of burden. As to the transportat.ou of dogs, it is a practice so universally followed by the etm- granU. that it has become a real grievance and ought be prohibited in part, at least, for they often are th cause of serious quarrels amongst the passengers, and Ta just cause of complaint ; can any thing urmg he voyage be mor disagreeable to any person, but to the rickly in particular, than the perpetual annoyance of "umerous talf starved dogs roaming about the sh.p ? It ought to be a general rule not to allow any dog to bo taken over under a guinea passage money, and a proper ,oode« cage ought to be provided or h» safe k^pmg whereby many a disagreeable misuiideratandang aiaong* i I ** 1, * ff 3 29 9 J 1 tlie passengers would be avoided, which is at all times a matter of importance in a crowded sliip. During the voyage there is but little passing, that is really interesting to the passengers ; the first day is generally spent in securing the luggage by carefully arrangmg and cording it to some fixed object, thereby to prevent, as much as possible, breakage and accidents fromitsrollingduringstormy weather ; which plan of pro- cedure is very prudent and cannot be too soon attended to after leaving port, for it often happens on arriving at the place of location in the American forest, the settler finds his crockery N/are nearly all dashed to iragments, which is a great loss to the sufferer, and not easily repaired hi that distant part of the world. This great destruction of property, so valuable in that remote situa- tion, would be completely prevented by more strict attention to the mode of tight lashing of the packages, on the outset of the voyage. The chief employ during the voyage of the steerage passenger will be cooking ; the accommodation necessary for cooking on the board of most ships is very unsuit- able to the wants of the numerous passengers, and is often the source of repeated quarrels on board, ujiy, is almost a daily source of dispute, for each person wauls to co(3k first, lu.,vhig an equal claim of such privileges. 1 have seen ships with only one small iron grate fixed open on the deck, being the only cooking appartitus for nearly two hnndr.d passenger.. Such inferior accommodation nught be made to answer by good I) \ r^ 80 rogiiliirity on the part of tlie captain, in calm weather, or when the weather was tolerably good; but, unfortu- nately, storms arise occasionly during all long voyages, when this open grate is nearly useless for cooking pur- poses, for the rolling of the ship with the successive heavy seas which dash on board, drenching out the fire and not unfrequeutly washing over into the ocean numerous valuable articles from off the deck ; during such weather it would be highly imprudent in any inexperi- enced passenger to expose himself on deck, to the peril ol' ])cing washed into the ocean. The best and only safe place on ship board during rough weather being below, every head of a family will find there full employ in looking to his children and luggage ; for with the liest attention accidents from falls and breakage will happen. Of the danger of rcmahiing on deck during stormy weather I can speak from experience, for during my passage to x\merica I had the misfortune to suffer severely from this cause,-— by repeated and long con- tinned storms ; and an individual becomes habitually fearless of danger ; such was my case, for we had a full fortnight of rough weather, with which 1 became rather familiar. However, while standhig on deck carelessly holding by a rope, a heavy sea was shipped which (Muight me, and, with the quickness of lightning, I was dri\-(m by the tremendous weight of water down to the lower side of the ship, and, with others of the sailor.s, liiid nearly senseless across the opposite bulwarks ; all the other passengers being kept below, by order of the \ w M. captain some time before. This sad event cost me clear, for from the injuries I received I had to suffer a course of medical treatment, and became a bed-ridden patient during the greater part of the voyage. The other suf- ferers knowing how to act in such exireme cases, were not so severely injured, though they were not able to attend to their duties for some days afterwards. During line weather the greater part of the passengers resort to the deck, there to idle away their time by relating their namerous and diversified stories, which tends much to enli^Tu the monotony of a sea voyage. Other evcnt*^ also occasionally hitervene to diversify the scene : for instance, the immence shoals of purpoises which are t)ften seen beating their way over mountains of water, and with the regularity and prct-isiou of an army : lor they apparently are all making one course, and are generally seen by thousands during tempestuous weather only, as if their chief pleasure consisted in disportinir amongst the wjtves. Whales of the spermaceti kind were occasionally seen blowhig theur steam like cohimn high into the air, which had a singular appearance at ji distance. Sharks were likewise seen bcsporting and attendhig the ship hi search of prey. But the scene of most lively interest was the beautiful and rich appearance of the setting sun, and the rapid daily decrease of twilight. The Aurora Borcalis was occasi- onally very vivid, with streamers of a reddish yellow col(3ur of extraordinary splendour, such as are never beheld in England to my knowledge, and must attract u 2 *^l 32 rlie observation of every traveller across the mighty Atlantic ocean. These are the most important objects commonly observed during the voyage ; which is gene- rally performed in from five to eight weeks, though instances are on record of the voyage occupying twelve weeks nearly; but these are extreme cases which seldom occur. However, it is necessary that every emigrant ought to be made acquainted with possible cases in pro- viding his stores for the voyage, as the surplus stores will be equally useful after landing, m proc-edmg up iiito the interior of the country. 1^ r % e- ?h ve im ,iit •o- :es up ii ON PURCHASING LAND. It has already been stated that hind is the chiei cuticiiig cause of emigration ; and, unfortunately, most emigrants zealous ni the cause of emigration, have dis- torted and vastly exaggerated ideas of their future powers and importance on becoming possessors of a plot of two hundred acres of land, founding their schemes on that most delusive basis conjectural comparison. The value of land in Canada, compared with that in England, is, in truth, as widly different as between tlie tremend- ous forests of Canada and the small coppice so common in England. It is true that emigrants transport them- selves to Canada under the laudable and prudent motive of attempting to improve their present condition, and to brighten the prospects of their growhig laniilies, and often become too eager hi makhig a pure ha se of land. This is the most important and diftkult undertaking (3f the emigrant ; an act, the imprudent or judicious performance of which must entail misery t.r happiness upon him for life. [)3 3-4 Th. uowiy arvived settler cannot ;)retend to have a ,Uor«ugh knowledge of the country, in fact he know. • of .he country, nor of the habits and nnnn.r f the people, whereby he will be in perpetual dange. of the grossest impositions being practiced on Ins edulity in the purchase of land. 1 wottld adv.se .rv emigrant, whether rich or poor, to be wary, and de la; for some time after their arrival the purchase of tm; for by waiting awMle tbe most valu«. .nation will be attained by patient mqutres, for delay n tins case is anything but dangerous, nay is often ;: n edwith the most happy results, for fanns may e,uently be bougbt cheap though in favourab e st ^. tions and perhaps half cleared of .ts forest. The new papers of the chief towns often have mucli valuable • Xmation on this subject, attd ought to be c^efully perused by the emigrant in search of »;-P--^ ^™^ U is no uncommon practice, in some dtstnets tor u ettlers to purchase >->-««" '^^^7^'?^:^ ,' '^I vears then sell to the best bidder, and agau> take to the ^. Bytldsmodeofspeculationsomehavebecom.. ■ comparatively rich, but it is a roammg unsettled hie for Imily ma,; to follow, attd should never be attempted ; thu avoiding a premature purchase of land winch every discreet emigrant will do, land of the best „«aht> Id in the most healthy situatio.t may often be advan- leously purchased, for if the land be ever so good but Z: m«y situation, the possessor wi soon - cause to regret his want of at.en.K.n .,. tins all m,port,mt couaideration. 'I t »y i 35 It is really astonishing to hear grave and knowing ebaructers strenuously advistog the poor and ncar^ moneyless emigrant to purchase land far remote m the Lst because it can be had cheap, knowir.g at the same time that it is hi the hmnediate neighbourhood of a low Ta mpy forest, of course a most unhealthy place o.t^ residence of a new settler. Allow me to state, tha land so unfavourably situated, is never "Ij-P' ^ J^""^ uot worth havmg a gift by any emagrant who va^es hi, health. Depend on it the new settler m such situa- is 1 soon lose his health, and for the most pa. be dis,iuaMed for his necessary exertions; -* * po^ souaUd looking family around him, whose h alth has L been distroyed by the freciuent attacte. ol agu ,- I fever prevalent in such situations, and where i is :ily iJcurable, for any length of time and IS ofte followed by diseases of a more senous n-Mure^ Oa. rs ■a, ain, who have low land to dispose of, will tell you ! avely that those swamps will not always be swamps. Td hat others have bought and have long been re d- iits in their neighbourhood and are not yet dead su h :„meutsarealtogetherweakaiidfrivoloi^>.Klfra^^^^ .Uh ruinous consequences to the new -« "^ ^ -/ tainlv cm be no plea in defence of the act that other. , ::^:ne so,--if others have done wrong by inirehasm ,md residing in an unhealthy place, must you ,« ,,0 the same "^ The wealthy emigrant, 1 ^ ^^ ,_ .Uit thediflerent districts of the provmce "Wru - a,i„, of tlu. nature of the soil, the prospects ot nnp.. • i III 30 meiit of tlie situation by canals, roads, or railways, unci the distance from the best market, all of which ought to be duly considered prior to purchasing. Always receive with due caution the gratuitous advice of an unknown stranger, in particular if a land seller ; for all persons in the provinces, scarcely without an exception, whether land sellers or steady settlers, advise inquirers after land to become purchasers in their immediate neighbourhood, since, according to their declarations, there is the best land and the most healthy and most improving part of the whole province, with a less severe climate than any other part of the country. 1 he pur- chase of a track of wild land will probably be the best plan for the more wealthy emigrant, who can command convenient means to sweep down the stately forest, and will be followed, for the most part, by such favoured emigrants. As to the quantity of land which emigrants ought so purchase on their first location in the province, there can be no exact rule given, as it must depend on a great variety of circumstances, particularly the avail- able means which are at command. This consideration is too often passed over slightly, for the greater number of emigrants of a certain class with limited means, in their ardour for becoming extensive land owners act most imprudently on this subject, and ever afterwards have cause to regret it ; for thousands now in compara- tive poverty in the province, were brought into their present state by foolishly expending all their wealth in land immediately after arrival in the country : large T^ i i I I ;i 37 tracts of land are easily purchased, but again converting the land into ready money is an undertaking of much difficulty. „ , . I ,„^ This general and imprudent plan of makmg large purchases of land so generally followed by new settlers, opens a large field to the speculative capitalists ; for by such men large fortmies have been made, as it is nearly proverbial in the provinces, that if ever an individual is mider the necessity of mortgaging his land, it is seldom afterwards redeemed by himseir. . herefore no emigran must exceed a prudent expenditure of his capital but should content hhnself with a moderate quantity of land, suice there will be plenty of land to be obtained as his wealth increases •. for it is the fact, that a small quantity of wild land will serve one family their lives in bringing it into any tolerable state of improvement. To illustrate the difficulty of converting laud into ready capital, there are mstances on recordof the land of ruined settlers^ in the remote parts of the forest, being sold by the sheriff for arrears of taxes so low as threepence per acre, or a larm of two hundred acres, for fifty sliillings currency. The chief source through which land is obtamed, is the Canada land company : this public company bemg the chief wholesale purchasers of government lands at, it is supposed, about one shilling per acre ; and their retail price is five shillings and upwards. About one hundred miles North West of the city of Toronto, is situated the Huron tract, of above eleven hundred thousand acres, belonging to this corporation; 1 r 1! Hi tlli 38 who have always land of the finest quality on sale, to any extent. For price, and all other necessary par- ticulars required by the purchaser, application must be made at the companies office in Toronto. The price is always fixed by the companies surveyors ; and the terms of sale are as follows : — the payment is divided into six equal parts, one part of which is paid immediately on making- the purchase, the remamiug- five parts are paid by as many annual histallments ; afterwards a deed is given to the purchaser, who then becomes the whole and sole proprietor or freeholder, and will then become intitled to every privilege of franchise, and will have no occasion to fear the correctness of his title deeds. Though in every case where land is purchased frojn private individuals, the purchaser must app]\- to a r^^spcctable attorney to avoid imposition. The loud comphunts so repeatedly heard in the proxdnces against the monopolizing plan followed by the Canada land company, which tends nuiterially to raise the price of land, is false and ungenerous throughout ; that they retail their lands at a premium, must be granted ; but the clamorous say-nothing of the stupendous improvements made by the company in the province, otherwise than for their own benefits : such improvements made of late by the company, could not have been accomplished otherwise than by some public corporation ; — and that they have added much to the value of their own extensive tracts, is likewise true : in fact, such improvements were intended solely to hasten i 4 4 *+ '.'4 the settlement of their lands, which, of course, enhances its value ; and had that part of the province be in with- out these noble improvements until accomplished by private individuals, it would have been the work of centuries ; and, in the mean time, the whole district would have remained in its primeval state of wild forest and swamp, and would not have been worth sixpence per acre. The chief improvements made by this valu- able company alluded to, is in cutting some of the finest canals in the world ; they have built whole villages for new settlers ; they have erected several churches and public schools; have cut good roads directly throudi the immense forests ; and have com- plcted innumerable improvements, to have accomplished wldch, at the present time, would have required the aid of government. The practice of purchasing land from this company in England, by any individual, with the idea that he will emigrate as a settler in a few years, is a common and unwise practice ; for very often they mj sooner arrive at their place of location, than they are dissatisfied with the unexpected appearance of its wilds; had they not acted so imprudently, they would have deferred purchasing until they had arrived in the pro- vince, and satisfied themselves as to the nature of the soil and healthfulness of the situation as a ^/iace of abode. Private individuals in England have been known to purchase lands in the provinces, wholly as a speculation, — they themselves never intending to emi- grate ; of course such land will remain wholly unim- \ 1 ^^I . Hi . ,w W the general improvement of proved, "*^-7^'' *;\roftenLden and great; and the settlement, '^'»'=*\'\\ „ ^nown to have resold ,,e distant speenl^or^-^;-,^^^,,, ,,,«.. ,„„u M, ur^eleared fam jUh ^^ ^^^^^^^^ _^^^ ,^^ i,,,. ,peenlationB JSj "^ ,, ,,, ..ady improvement of ^ enconraged, tor tnej i ^ the adjacent tract. ^^j,,. ist- Land is ohtained m Canada > ^^^ ^^^ ^.^^^ ^^ From the g»-»™"^"^:'^.,d,W company. 3rd- chased. 2"<>-*™"f ^.^-^^l practice land jobbing. From private indwrdnals .ho p ^^^^^^ ^^^^^^^^^^ either '=^^'^'^"1' J*^' \e agents of all those several «tate. The offices of the . ^j; , „r,,uger, p„.ies,willreadilybelonnd^'y y ^^ ^^^^ ^e,, I either Qnebec, Mon«ea^ ^^^ ^^^^^^^ ^^ „^„^, .ettler intends « -^;rthe sale of lands at apply to the proper nrt n ^ ,^ ^^^^ ^^^^^^ p^,^. Quebec ; bnt tl destvn d a^ .^^^.^^^^^^ .^,„ ,, vinee, he must appb or all ^ ^^, ^,^^^^^^^, ,,,,ftieesofthere..etu^^^^^^^^^ ,„„,.„- ,„d can vie. tl^e -.1^ - ^„,„p,„y, ^Ueh rs .basing land of h C»ad^,^^ the main sonrce, the phmo p ,,,,i„. «hat -^'^'^^-l- ?::n;V-ves/.Wchareadver- i ent of ; aud resold Such least, neiit ot ^ 1st— - be pur- 3rd—- jobbhig- sources, u a wild ; several stranger, • the new be must f lands at ipper pro- mation at ,f Toronto, As to pur- 'j wliicli is Iready been asiniZ wbat I are adver- ,west prices, li townsbip, x\ grievance, I .*>. » 41 preventing, in a great measure, provincial impr.vcmcut . however, the late sales have done much in ai iviatln.ir this source of complaint, as the lauds were libcKdl) sold on honorable terms. The price of these reserve land- is very various, depending on the competition at the tune of sale; if near rivers, towns, or good roads, in an healthy and well settled district, and the soil of the first quality, it is really astonishing how high priced they sometimes are sold, comparatively speaking. And ii; perchance, the province be cheered by a brisk flowuig current of emigration, (which always increases the price of land) these sales are well attended, and the town lots for building are often sold at ruinously high prices, at from eight to twelve dollars per acre, though the average price of forest land throughout the upper province may be safely stated at from one to four dollars per acre, and is paid for by yearly instalments, with interest from the time of taking possession, with one year's hiterest in advance, at the rate of six per cent. Such is government's plan with regard to the upper provuice. In the lower province there are extensive tracts of crown land on the south side of the river St. Lawrence, and not above fifty miles from the city of Quebec, which is offered to the ind strious families who emigrate from Great Britain, for four shillings per acre, Halifax currency ; and those fomilies who cannot pur- chase, can have one hundred acres for twenty shillings per year, quit rent ; or until they are able to pay the twenty pounds for the hundred acres. In the same il ' ( hi \ district the best cultivated furm can be bought for from twenty to forty shillings per acre. On purchasing land in this lower province of Canada, there is considerable risque of receiving a good title to the land, from the bad and impartial system of registration, whereby in pur- chasing of unknown parties great caution is required. The Seigniorial rights or feudal encumbrances en- tailed on the estates of this province are very offensive to the British emigrant ; for, beside the yearly taxes, there is from ten to twelve per cent to pay to the Seigneur on the sale of a farm. Indeed instances are not wanting where an industrious emigrant ha? lost the whole of his estate after years of hard toil ; the estate being mortgaged at the time of his purchasing it, though unknown to him : such are the evils arising from im- politic laws. The most experienced settlers have been known to suffer from these causes ; therefore the newly arrived uud inexperienced emigrant will have but a poor chance of avoiding such disasters. Happily these grievances, as to the uncertainty of the title to the property pur- chased, are scarcely known in the upper province, where ordinary discretion will suffice in most cases to ensure a good title. The writers who have laboured with such extraordinary diligence in calculating the quantum of capital at which a poor emigrant may arrive by steady uidustry and economy, have shown plausible wnd straight Ibrward theories, though unfortunately such calctdations for the most part are found practically false and crooked ^ m 43 statements; for the present race of Canadian farmers have too many disadvantages to encounter to become soon rich ; for in Canada capital is a scarce commodity, and which must be the case for a considerable period yet to come ; for such is the scarcity of money in America, that there is no difficulty in lending small sums at from ten to twenty per cent, and on undeniable security. The general extent of a farm in Canada is two hundred acres ; for the plan of dividing the land by survey, is into townships often miles square; which are again subdivided into lots of two hundred acres; eath lot having a quarter of a mile frontage, and one mile and a quarter depth. Every emigrant may purchase what number of sepa- rate lots he pleases. In the districts where as yet it is only partially surveyed, larger tracts of wild land might be purchased by the wealthy emigrant. To be able to distinguish the fertile soil from the interior and unproductive, is of the utmost importance to any emigrant, and may be easily attahied ; for the forest itself is the most evident and certain guide, even for the most careless observer, when in search of a place of location. The best soil is infallibly indicated by being covered with a forest composed of a mixture of maple, basswood or lime, beech, elm, cherry and black- walnut; each tree being of huge demensious and tall, with a clean whitish bark, and a broad sp; ading bushy top. In strong clay land, beside the trees already men- tioned, there is an adundance of tamarac and larch. E 2 -ri^- I H |;J f' 1^ i .r ^1 H 44 The sandy soil is readily known by its immense num- ber of towering pines, intermixed with the oaks and chestnuts. The swamps are always densely covered with the beautiful cedar, with an intermixture of tarn- urac or larch, and hemlock— a tree of the pine tribe ; and may be ranked amongst the richest soils in the colony. 11 f s i mmi- i and vered tain- tribe ; ill tlic f'1 THE FOREST. The tonr through the provinces of Canada is 1«^% interesting to the curious traveller ; the irregula inte - :^S: of extensive tracts of cultivation, witht e^- forest scenery of nature on her gran est 'f^^^- rive scale, has a« extremely agreeable effect, fo. notl, was rural scenery can equal the undulated appearance "f iWl cultivate/farm, when contrasted with the .^ shade of itsneighbourlynative forest,wien c^l^ w^^ „„ extensive mountain ridge of some miles m length and tUickly covered with its primeval pines; the ridge being oecasionly broken by the projection of a huge ™cW leather beaten and naked, and on which no^d ve,.etation can prosper. Every description will .all ifrt in conveying an accurate idea of the forest sccu^ry Sida; for the immense phies wUl he obse-^ - tower so high above the other trees of the forest, that a tower so b ,,<•„„„„ that thev had been planted distant observer would fancy tliat tuej ua on the tops of the others. In the forest will be found trees of various sorts, though the chief composition of the forest is oak, ash, beech, E o ,.,^ ■ ,«,. n I I ' i 4(j elm, pine, hemlock, hickory, maple, iron and bass-woods, tamarac, cedar, sycamore and poplars, intermixed with a great variety of wild fruit trees, which are found in greater abundance in particular districts, than in other parts of the forest, the chief sorts being black-walnuts, butter-nuts or white-walnuts, cherries, plums, chestnuts, with gooseberries, white and black raspberries, grapes and strawberries. The fruit trees of the forest are par- ticularly productive ; the gooseberries are so very thorny that they can scarcely be touched in taking them off the trees, and are very small when, compared with the English gooseberry. The raspberry is generally found on the outskirts of the forest, or in fields partially cleared ; where they will be found in the greatest abun- dance, and of the most delicious flavour. The plums of the forest are the handsomest of her fruits, being of a rich red colour ; they are of various sizes, but generally in- clined to an oval shape, and ripen in August ; their flavour is good, bat occasionally some will be found rather tart : such is the abundance of these plums in certain districts, that the surface of the ground is reddened with the fallen fruit. Tlio wikl cherry tree is very beautifiil, and often of an extraordinary size ; the fruit is very small and black, and very inferior in flavour. The apple is a fruit which Is rather scarce in the forests of North America. The winter grape is often found clinging to the trees in the alluvial forest, and will climb to the top of the hijihcst; the leaf of the vino is of a beautiful rich green ^4 47 colour ; tlie grape is a small round fruit, very like the wild black clierry ; aud are to tlie taste austere, sour, and unpalatable, till mellowed by the winter frosts. They are often used in domestic economy. There are several other varieties of the vine in the forests, though not so abundant as this winter kind. The stranger needs great caution in wandering in the pathless forest ; for it is astonishing how treacherous the forest is, even to the old settlers themselves, who are frequently deceived and lost on their own land for a considerable time ; and by carelessly wandering far into the forest lives have been frequently forfeited. To illustrate the subject under consideration I will record a case which occured while I was in Canada, and, in fact, in which I was a party concerned. A friend whom I was visiting proposed an excursion to the lake which joined the rear of his estate ; accordingly, early on a delightful .July morning our excursion commenced, with every prospect of spending the day pleasantly, by alternately collecting cranberries on a neighbouring small island, and fishing on the lake, which was a beautiful sheet of water of about ten miles in circumference ; and, to add further to the pleasure of the day, a neighbouring gentleman was invited to join the sport. Immediately on our leaving for the lake, my friend ordered liis two servant men to proceed instantly to inform the gentlejnan that we had proceeded on, and to assist in carrying the gentleman's fishinan ^^^^nZ, the have been the one we first observed on cntcru„ 49 -the forest. During this pause there was no rest from the myriads of musquitoes which surrounded us, and bit with an insufferable pain ; whilst the sun, whose rays occasionally penetrated through a breach in the forest, scorched us with distressing effect. We now agreed to find the lake if possible,—for we expected we could not be far from it; or rather, I should have said, we wished so— and again we started, after taking off our coats, too heavy to be worn for the heat, and with a determined resolution to proceed on a direct course if possible, feared not the result. Thus we laboriously traversed the forest again for a considerable time, till compelled to halt by exhaustion, again therefore we sat down awhile to rally our strength ; while the forest was as silent as the tomb, excepting the occasional barking of the dog which we had with us, and which I fancied had seen either a bear or a wolf from his savage appear- ance. When our strength was recruited, we hallowed with stentorian voice "lost," and attentively listened for a reply ;— but all in vain. Agam we journied, rested, and consulted, with an occasional shout of "lost," to break the monotony of the scene as we went along— whither we knew not. At this period of the affair I felt most seriously alarmed for our safety, our only protection being our dog ; as for eatables, we had none with us. We now thought of the expedient of climbing 51 tree,— but to no purpose ; for the surrounding forest prevented a view of more than a few yards ; and we now found ourselves entangled in an immense morass >ji v\ i '*i / II ''\ m %\^ 50 of cedars ; and the sun at tMs time becoming overcast, gave a melancholy gloom to the forest, that filled the imagmation with awe. However, despondency will do nothing, where exertion is so much required ; we there- fore again attempted to extricate ourselves, though wearied with fatigue and anxiety for self preservation, for a considerable time longer, making the silent forest to echo the word "lost" again and agam; when sud- denly, while listning for the sound of the woodman's axe, we heard a voice, ^mt from which direction the vibrations of the forest prevented our bewildered nunds from accurately ascertaining ; however it was music to us, and gave new life to our declining strength and activity; we lost not a moment in calling "lost," but received no reply. Therefore our latent energies were again called into action, and after another tremendous exertion for some time, we heard several voices in regular succession, which taught us to know we were heard, and accordmgly we made directly towards the place from whence proceeded the voices, when to our agreeable surprise we found our own servants and the neighbouring gentleman. They had never heard us shout, but from our not appearing on the beach of tlie lake at the place appomted for the men to meet us with the boats, they all agreed we were both lost, and therefore they all wisely took to the forest in search of us, which in all probability terminated the affair with less disasterous consequences than might have been expected. >l I m \ 51 It may be thought no difficult master for the lost wanderer to extricate himself from the forest when so near its out skirts, but, in practice, all rules laid down by writers will often fail, excepting the compass, which is the only infallible guide in the forest; and no travel- ler should ever attempt roaming in the forest wilds in search of sport, without being armed with a small pocket compass ; for the sun is not always to be seen to satis- faction while in denser parts of the forest. A journey of a few miles into the interior of the forest is an under- taking of extraordinary labour ; it is true there is little low brushwood to impede the way, it being for the most part smothered by the forest trees; but the way is almost constantly interrupted by innumerable huge trees which have faUeu from age, or been blown down by the tempestuous winds of the province, and are often of such immense girth, as to stop the path completely. In some parts of the forest the ground is literally covered with such fallen wood, which lies crossed and recrossed, whereby an expert person might travel miles without ever once takmg his foot off a fallen tree, unless a cir- cuitous course should be necessarily taken to avoid a tree of huge demensions. The roots of some of these blown down trees, loaded with tons of earth are astonish- ingly large. I believe the interruption given to the course of the traveller in the forest by these fallen trees, is the chief cause of his bemg thrown out of his way and so often lost; for to advance in a straight course is next to an Mm »i I 52 vnforest Howcver.on arriving •v>;litv in a ('»"»'''* , . i .i,k our advcn- impossibiWy'"'^ , I related tUis """^ ' rtlie mansion of m f"'='"'' ; ^^^j ,i,e l.erscl( «a9 tf W« -f"' *^" "T'Je Bt in a manner very l:::aaa,anaanigU^m^;-i^,,^,,,eri.^^^^ stoilar, as fo^l'"^- "f^^^ excursion, on neanng rt^e towards the lake on a « e ^^^^^ ^^ ^^^^ ,^,,^ ,,,e it -as -<=f tl td to expedite tl.e bnsmes. apparatus were f-f f^. ;; ^^de Uis men proceeded ^! .master returned tor tWm^^ ^.^ ^.^^ slowly P--^ ^ have tUe boats read> >a J^^^^^^^^,, ^. ,,, fell „>^ ^,, ^ay tilll^is return, vvto ^^^ ,„,,,„g . wrong patl. ""'^em nt^t not Ids wife; ^-ver ,HUe late, I- found tie men ^ ^^^ ^^^,,,0 they imagined she l.«l -tu^e ^^^^^^ ^^^^„ ,.ey pjy proceeded to ^'^J^/l.t fears were entertamc, lund not -«"-!' f;.::%a a visit to a ne,gl*our vants were sent to mak al ood were ,,. U„„se and tUe »"- ™™;.; ,,„ipped wi.U ettber a .ent into tUe forest, each b > g ^^ ^,„„,, ^11 1, a trumpet, or a set c^ JcJ ^.,, ., „„, ^i e possible. Tbis -";^J'^.„,, „„a witl> no be,- „A bv tl.e darkness ot tbe m, ^. ,„ *^'"^^nu on tbc former scarcb. Ibe terBuecesntlumi' vcn- ■ '^'.19 very ig tlie isliing isiness eecded pacing ell into irriving ovrevcr, te wliole me they ertJiiucd, .eiglihour , evening, d tlie ser- udjoiuing ls now ex- time, with \e tbrcc of rliood were itli cither a create all 1 tiii it was with no bet- e whole nigh^ m was spent in preparing for a further and more extended search in the morning, and with greater numerical force ; for the men were sent to all the surrounding settlers to invite their early attendance m the morning. The party being already equipped as already stated, started in diverse directions in pairs, on the first dawn of the morning, and by a signal could co-operate to advantage ; otherwise, there was an equal danger of the party bemg also lost. However, the forest was searched far and wide ; guns were fired repeatedly ; bells rung, and every imagmable kind of uproar was made, but to no purpose ; and had not the lady been more fortunate, she must have suffered de- tention in the forest. But to her adventures ; which she related as follows. After pacing some time, expecting momentarily the return of her husband, she ventured to proceed, thinkmg he might have missed her on his return to the lake; and after some time she found herself so involved in the forest, and probably so far off her right path, that she became bewildered how to extricate her- self. However, it must be attempted ; and after hours spent in endeavours to find either the lake or home, she became exhausted, and sat down to rest. After awhile she again tried to extricate herself from her now dangerous situation,— but all in vain— till her further j.i'ogress was prevented by the combined effects of fatigue and the darkness of the night. Her only alter- native was to seat herself on a fallen tree ; a most horrible situation for a lady in a Canadian forest, in the midst of the haunts of wild bears, wolves, and other dangerous F tl ( ill 54 animals ; there, however, she passed the longest night of her life, contemplating with melancholy forebodings her perilous situation, which was increased, if possible, by the occasional rush of a wild beast near her. On one occasion, an animal of some description actually loaped over the very tree upon which she sat. Still she remained unhurt ; and on the dawn of day, she pro- ceeded again to make for home, assisted by the rising sun. After passing over logs and swamp till about noon, she then heard the bell of a cow ; made towards it, and drove it before her, and to her great joy the cow iftad the way into a clearance, which she recognised as being some miles from home. On arriving, the whole party were still in the forest in search of her, and were on the point of giving up any further search, having concluded it to be useless. ( )]i first entering the Canadian forest I was no little sur- prised on observing the trees so large and free from boughs ro such a height up their trunks. So clear were the boles of the trees, that few had a bough within from twenty to thirty feet off the ground, with trunks straight and very r.rect for the most part, with a bark free from moss, and a particularly large bushy top. In some parts of the pro- vince the forest is very thin, froi^ which cause the trees are low and full of boughs within a few feet of the ground, and not unUke the trees found growing in the hedge rows in England. The imagination cannot but expatiate in traversing those pathless morasses, and the inhospitable forest so remote and lonely, for I unfortu- ;i* t iiiglit odings )ssible, :. On ctually till slie le pro- j rising [ about owards lie cow lised as e whole ad were having ittle sur- 1 boughs he boles wenty to md very OSS, and *the pro- the trees it of the ig in the .nnot but , and the unfortu- m nately was likewise benighted in company with a Iriend in the treacherous wilderness, and I am certain I can- not satisfactorily describe my feelings on the occasion ot a long ride through its thickest part. The night whh pitch dark, and a horror striking silence reigned, except when broken by the ialse step of the horses, or the howling of the inmates of the forest ; and the cheerless scene was heightened by the contrast of immens.- Liasses of phosphorescent logs of rotten ' ood, so abundant in the forest. Our only dependence on keeping the right path was on the sagacity of my borrowed horse, which had traversed the same road before ; it was otherwise with my friend's, therefore the instinct of my horse was alone to be relied on, and on this occasion it proved a most safe and valuable pilot. While roaming in the forests of America, I found little that was either rare or curious, excepting on one occasion a large disabled iron cannon ; and I believe several have been accidentally found in distant parts of the forest, being left by their respective parties during the war, and are now not worth removing. And in another remote part is to be seen a large anchor, resting in the forest, till called into active service, by a line of battle ship on the lakes, as it wan intended for that service. V 2 i '" M Ift • II THE INHABITANTS. Tlie present population of Canadas may be stated in round numbers at about one million. The traveller will, immediately on entering the lower province, observe the foreign looking appearance of the French Canadian farmers. Their dress is in general a jacket of peculiar shape, with troasers made of the coarsest cloths, and a cap or straw hat of immense dimen- sions They seldom wear shoes, but have on for the most part moccasins or Indian booS made of a strong reddish coloured leather, with a red sash girdled around the waist, with both the ends carelessly hanging down by the side. Their personal appearance is tolerably good, and of a middle stature, with rather prominent Ups and fall face, with an iiviescribable something m the|r manners which bespeaks a want of education ; nor is this a deception, for, comparatively, few of them can either read or write. They are chiefly Roman eathohcs, and speak nearly universally the French language; thousands of them are not able to speak one word of English, and are in habits very indolent. Of course - «•' ' "iSpT"' ated in le lower ? of the general J of the ; dimen- for the a strong I around ng down tolerably nent lips ; in their i; nor is hem can catholics, anguage ; 3 word of 3f course they are the most wretched farmers, and miserably poor. In agriculture they follow no regular plan, piaciug little value on manure ; and if they can raise sufficient corn for their own household consumption, they are nearly satisfied. It may be readily imagined from such irre- gular plans pursued in agriculture, their crops will be scanty, which is the fact, for such a thing as a rick ot wheat is a great rarity when observed adjoinmg the homestead of a French Canadian farmer, their plan being to house their grain in the barn immerliately on removing it from the fields; and a very small barn will hold, for the most part, the whole of the year's crop, on a farm of from fifty to one hundred acres. The Cana- dian thistle grows luxuriantly throughout the provmce, which to a stranger at a distance, it will appear a good crop of an unknown plant, until he receives an explaim- tion of the worthless natm-e of the crop,-although they are said to mow them for whiter fodder. If the land were purposely prepared and sown, this ruinous thistle, the scourge of Lower Canada, it could not flourish more plentifully. The farms of this province are generally from fifty to two hundred acres each in extent ; and are often subdivided equally a-iongst the whole tamily on the death of the parent, according to the French law ; which accounts for the numerous cottages studduig the banks of the river St. Laurence,— all beine? one family colony. These cottages, though so beautifully white and interesting at a distance, are, for the most part, bad and inconvenient buildings, without cithrr it 3 IS n y -ii ! . '^1 I'' form or taste or accommodation being considered in theiir erection, and are surrounded with tlie most miserable! looking rail fencing. As to their gardens, so necessary to all^well conducted farms, they accurately accord with the other part of their wretchedly inhospitable looking homestead, for the few stragling fruit trees turn to little account. The interior of their houses disgrace even tlie exterior, lor the furniture is of the most homely description and very scanty. There are certainly ex- ceptions to this description of their agricultural indolence and bad habitation*, but they are few amongst the lower class of French Canadian agriculturists. Their villages are generally ornamented by a Roman catholic church, which is very often a spacious and elegant building,, with a full length statue of the patron samt gen- erally placed between the towers, over the front entrance, ^■fhe new settlements, made by the late arrivals of British, emigrants, have done much in improving this province by the introduction of the most approved plans of agriculture known in England, whioh the Canadiaa iarmer cannot avoid following, ere long, from the force yf example alone, if not from interested motives. NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS, Observations made with the greatest accuracy, clearljr demonstrate that this ill fated race of foresters are rapidly decreasing in numbers, and, before the expiration of another century, will be nearly extinct or known only by name, for the principles of European gc 3mment, and the industrious habits of the population aie unfavourabk to the Indian character- There are different tribes or nations of these Indians yet to be found ; each tribe, it is calculated, will con- tain about five or six hundred individuals, and are distinguished by their tseveral names as the Huron, Micmac's, Iroquois, Sbawanesse, &c. tribes. They care little for agricultural pursuits. There are a few straglers of the Indians dou.ieiled, who will plant a little Indian com or a few rows of potatoes, but their general man- ner of life is roaming through the forest in pursuit of '■ wild beasts for their skins, which is a source of great gain to them. They are a very intelligent race of people, quick of apprehension and proverbially hardy, being able to bear without any ill effects, heat and cold, hunger i I ii S: ll 11 H 60 and thirst, for several days together, which becomes habitual from their chance manner of living on the produce of the forest, and their success m capturing their prey. In the bearing of such privations they are supposed to be much assisted by the belt which they wear so universally around the body. Yet, when an opportunity offers, they eat and drmk inordmately. In hunting, they are remarkably expert with the rifle, 8eld(,m failing of their object ; indeed I have myself witnessed an Indian shoot several woodpeckers, each bird with a ball tlirough the head only, for a triflmg wager. Hunting is their chief employ, and by them the market is often most abundantly supplied with furs for exportation; and they have the singular mode of selling them by piece meal; if they have a hundred skins, they have as many bargains, and are very knowing as to the real value of each skin in the market ; but when m a state of intoxication they are easily imposed on, and they will then sell the most valuable furs for a glass of whiskey,-a spirituous liquor of which they are passion- ately fond. Sometimes nearly a whole tribe has been seen in a state of drunkenness at one time ; though it is generally stated by those settlers who are acquainted with their modes of life, that one of the party always keeps himself sober, as a sentinel over their persons, and to take charge of their guns and tomahawks, because amongst themselves they have the most cruel and dcs- tructivo contests, for scalping, and every other barbarous treatment is practiced on the vanquished party. m-i f 4 Gl One particular trait of the Indian character is, they never forgive a real or imaginary injury, and are seldom if ever known to fail in finding the object of their revenge, if it can be accomplished by the most laborious exertions, for they have been known to have traversed the forest for years in pursuit of their victim. Their dress is equally singular and wild ; a cap made of fur, with a dirty looking woollen surtout coat, which they wear sometimes ornamented at the wrists and on the top of each shoulder with a patch of coloured cloth, and trousers to correspond, with a belt around the body, into which is fixed the tomahawk, and with the addition of the moccasin boots, which they manufacture themselves, they assume an air of military appearance. As to their personal appearance, they are of middle stature, of good figure, and of rather a copper colour. The women or squaws, as the younger part of female Indians are called, are generally pretty and interesting in appearance, and of a fine figure ; a deformed Indian is rarely seen, but they are sometimes distinguished according to the laws of their several tribes, by a slit in the cartilage of the nose. Their hair is remarkably black, and frequently decorated with ribbons and feathers and beads, and is generally tied in a roundish form behind the head ; their dress is not unlike that of the men, for their short skirt and black bordered blanket^ form the chief part of their dress. Their wrists and ears are likewise ornamented with rings and beads, and sometimes even with bells* ii* i|i ill I . 1(1 I 11 I i\ o 62 The squaws are very ingenious and industrious, making gloves, moccasin boots, baskets, and other small wares, which they ornament with dj d porcupine quills and beads of great variety ; the woman when on travel generally carries the child and the whole wealth of the family, and is accompanied by th( husband with his rifle upon his shoulder unfettered by any burden. The Indians are expert manufacturers of canoes of bark, for transporting themselves and families across the lakes and rivers ; with a great variety of small articles of beautiful workmanship, particularly their tobacco pipes. Marriage is respected amongst some of the tribes, but often they have two or more wives ; and every humane exertion of the British government to protect and pre- serve the Indian race is constantly in operation ; for the British government give to the different nations of Indians included in their territories, numerous annual presents, with academical and religious establishments. The annual presents given by government to the Indian tribes, however well designed, are not always attended with beneficial effects, for many no sooner receive their presents, than they barter them away to the adjoining settlers for money or spirituous liquors, and are fre- quently found in a state of intoxication for some time after receiving their presents, which consists of pro- visions, ammunition, clothing and blankets, with divers other useful articles. The number of Indians which meet at Penuetanguishene on these occasions, annually amount to several hundreds^ and are of different tribes 63 and from the remotest parts of the wilderness, and form a very interesting scene to the stranger ; the time of distributing the presents is in the month of July gene- rally. There are other places in the provinces where the presents of government are distributed for the con- venience of the Indians in the vicinity, who live dis- persed in small stragling villages on the banks of lakes or rivers, in huts or wigwams made of bark, and gen- erally sittmg on the ground, or lying on the skins of wild beast, and are often seen in the markets of the large towns selling their small fancy wares and wild fowls? with, per- haps, a few hares, or similar products of the forest. Throughout the provinces there are several considerable settlements of these native Indians, who lead a more settled life, and are agriculturists on a small scale, having, as already mentioned, small plots of grain ; however, they are regularly progressmg in their agricul- tural knowledge. The most considerable village of the Indians is that of Loretto, which is situated a few miles from Quebec, and is inhabited by the Huron tribe. In the neighbourhood of Montreal is the village of Caugh- nawaga, which is a colony of Iroquois Indians. In the upper province there are several tolerably well inhabited stragling villages of these natives, particularly the set- tlement near Brentford, and on Dundas Street, in the neighbourhood of Toronto. On the curious stranger visiting some of these Indian colonies, he will have an opportunity of purchasing any article of their manufacture, which generally consists I (J/U 4 if'* ,'■§§ of moccasins, belts, a variety of baskets and boxes, some of which are really elegant and curious, with an equally curious show of gloves, all fancifully worked with different coloured leather, and tobacco pipes and clubs of exquisite workmanship, with other similar specimens of their carving with the knife, their only instrument, and with which they build their beautiful bark canoes for the navigation of the rivers and lakes. On some of those settlements of Indians, live the chief of the tribe, which gives additional interest to the visit. During the ever to be lamented desperate conflict of the last war between Great Britain and the American states, these native Indians were most unwisely engaged as allies by both the parties: though full of enterprise and zeal while following their own system of warfare, they can never be stationed and depended on as firm and well disciplined soldiers, for if perchance they are severely pressed by the enemy they instantly fly. Their manner of fighting is irregular, as becomes savages, therefore they can only be useful to an army as scouts, for they are unerring marksmen with the rifle, whereby they proved themselves the most destructive enemies to the officers of the several armies, shooting them at plea- sure from their hiding places ; or against a retreating or defeated army, where they clearly find murder and plunder within their grasp ; which extra stimulus has a wonderful effect, for theri' they will fight lik>? tigars, rushing out of ambuscade with an awful yell, and with their tomahawks they spread carnage and confusion in 65 i a most terrific manner, for such are their ideas of war- fare that they scarcely leave one to tell the horrid tale. Sometimes these mercenary savages have heeu known to plunder and murder their own allies after being spur- red on to desperation by disappointment, or from losing a chief. The bravest Indian chief of modern times was the celebrated aboriginal warrior Tecumseh, who val- liantly fell at the battle of the Thames, in the western part of the upper province, on the 5th of October, 1813, while nobly leading on his tribe of about twelve hundred Indians with their tomahawks, where they neither gave nor accepted quarter, according to their specific rules of warfare ; he was a pattern of the tribe, of middle stature, very strong and capable of performing astonishing acts of valour in battle ; sharp and active, with a keen penetra- ting eye, and about forty years of age when he was killed ; and, while dead on the battle field, it is recorded for a fact, that the American soldiers disgraced themselves by committing the most wanton acts of indignity on the noble chief's mortal remains. Another act of wanton outrage, the recorded murder of a beautiful young lady during the revolutionary war, ought to be a salutary lesson of experience as to the treachery of the half savage Indians, for they had no sooner got her into their posses- sion than they destroyed her, though they had received the promise of vast reward if they honorably protected her to a safe retreat. The inhabitants of the upper province of Canada may strictly be stated to be British, the.exceptions being trifl- o ■^ ! \i\ ^'f :i mcr in numbers ; and it is a modern settlement compared to the lower province. It is a very natural impulse which induces many of the settlers to entice their old and distant friends over to join them, undertaking to lind a suitable place for their location as near themselves as convenient ; and this is very good policy, for it has the twofold advantage of both improving more rapidly that part of the province, which of course increases the value of property very considerably in a few years, and likewii^e as the advantage of composing the unsettled mind of all the respective parties ; for the company of a true and tried friend and old countryman, to hear and relate the events and circumstances (jf former friends and country, is thrice valuable in those distant regions of the forest. As a matter of inference, certain districts may be thought to be peopled by one and the same class oi countrymen; which is true, for some districts of Canada are nearly wholly colonized by the English emigrants, and particularly emigrants from Yorkshire, who have for a vast number of years been patriotic adventurers to tie wilds of the great western world. For instance, the city of Toronto and its immediate surrounding neighbourhood, can furnish a pretty fair specimen of enterprising Yorkshire settlers ; and it is decidedly the most improved part of the whole colony. The Irish emigrants have likewise followed the same motives of example and advantage, and have settled themselves in small colonies throughout the provuice, particularly in the rear of Kingstone and its remote ♦« 67 impared impulse lieir old iking to mselves )r it has rapidljr ases the ars, and nsettled any of a tear and ' friends regions districts me class tricts of English )rkshire, patriotic L world, mediate itty fair nd it is iolony. lie same i settled rovuice, remote settled wilds. And it may be stated as a niatter of importance, that no class of emigrants improve in hfibits and manners, after being inhabitants of the colony ior only a few years, in the same degree as the Irish, for they become good and loyal subjects, peaceable and industrious, and soon assume an air of respectability imknown to them in their native Ireland ; and did but the thousands of their ill iated countrymen of small means' know but one half the advantages which would follow as a consequence of emigration, they would moiv than double the number of settlers from Irelaiid who have emigrated of late years. The Scotch have not emigrated in any great numbers to this colony, although they have increased of late years to a considerable extent, and have the similar propensity to associate in small bodies when they locate. The Dutch have promiscously settled and are intermixed by their locations throughout the provinces with all the other nations already mentioned, and are second to none for industry and frugality. In looking over the maps of the provinces, the settlement of each nation or country may easily be ascertained by the name of tlie villages or townships of the district, for the original settlers, on the impulse of their recollections on locating themselves, named the place after the town of their birth from whence they have removed, or some other import- ant place in the neighbourhood, or after their own names. In some respects this practice is unfortunate, for there is often two or more towns of the same name, g3 I ! 'i II yf/' 4' il ,rhich is inconvenient by the repert-l laistakes thereby occasioned in the transmission of letters and parcels to settlers into those districts. Since the termination of the war, the emigration of half-pay officers of the array has been much encouraged by the British government Of late they have increased in numbers greatly, and likewise occupy certain districts amongst themselves, each officer receiving from govern- ment a certain portion of wild land. This policy to a limited extent may be correct, for certainly these meri- torious individuals deserve W'3ll of their country and ought to have a fair remuneration for their former important services ; but the wholesale system adopted in giving too extensive tracts of land to c^-rtain officers, has created loud and serious complaints in the province, not on the score of their receiving more than a just reward, but on the score of impeding the improvement of the district of their immediate location, for certainly this follows, when one individual has land given to him which wiU require the labour of himself and family for ages to come in bringing it into a tolerable state of im- provement, and the expenditure of an immense fund of wealth. Thus the neighbouring improvements will be slow, to what otherwise they would have been, had the land been divided into small lots of not more than two hundred acres to one individual, however meritorious. For it is in result similar to the absentee proprietor's land, where, should a new settler unfortunately happen to pur- chase a lot in it's rear, (the absentee proprietor expending ■i thereby ircels to •ation of iouraged Qcreased districts , govern- licy to a 2se meri- ntry and ir former I adopted 1 officers, province, an a just rovement certainly en to Mm family for aite of im- se fund of its will be n, had the 3 than two eritorious. jtor's land, Den to pur- expending nothing in improvements) the new settler will be com- pelled to cut a road to his settlement through the absentee's forest, which is an act of the most wanton injustice, and great expense to the new settler, and thereby at the same time greatly improving the absentee proprietor's estate, which he is particularly informed of by agents; and every advantage is taken, for the moment he finds the property is at it's height of im- provement by the necessary exertions of the new settler, the absentee owner sells out at probably great advantage. Surely such grievances call for legislative interference, so as to compel the absentee speculator in foreign land to cut his own roads through the forest. There is another class of military settlers which is nkewise numerous and demands some notice, 1 mean the old soldiers in Upper Canada. These bravers o\' the battles are certainly the worst of the settlers, for they have no knowledge of agricuhure, neither do the}- show any disposition to learn, which is naturally to bo ex- pected from men of such habits. Their commuting their hard earned pensions and spending the greutei portion of the money in drunkenness prior to tbeir leav- ing England, and the little remainder immediately ou their arrival in the provinces, makes the greater part o1 them penniless on entering their lots of land, which they have granted to them by government for length of service. Under such miserable circumstances can it be even expected they ever will become agriculturists - must they not labour under poverty and wretchedness i % J i re II I 't % ll , I I'll; i( 70 the remainder of their lives ? From such grievances which are real and innumerable, can it be wondered at when we hear of an old penniless soldier selling his wild, and to him useless, forest land for a barrel of pork and flour ? This is a truth, for I saw the dissipated fellow who did so ; and I heard of other similar characters who sold their lot of land for a bottle of rum, — each lot or grant of land being two hundred acres. While in that part of the province inhabited bj these inexperienced farmers, I saw the most wretched hovels, and scenes of the greatest poverty and distress. I believe from good authority, these facts have been fairly represented to the British government, and the most needful are again allowed their pensions, which is noth- ing more than justice, and is likewise an act of the greatest charity. I pnevances ►ndered at J his wild, pork and ;ed fellow jharaeters —each lot i bj these ed hovels, istress. I )eeii fairly the most ih is noth- let of the EXCHANGE. In transporting money over to British America,— an act of the greatest consequence to every emigrant— there is some risque at all times, and different plans have been given as to the most safe mode of procedure for the emigrants. The vast importance of money in all parts of the world, causes the unwary emigrant to be often imposed upon by the designing knjives who are found in great numbers in every large town where he may be expected to debark. The numerous robberies committed on these poor unwary foreigners during the season of emigration, are often of the most gross and cruel description, though in many cases the new settler has no one but himself to blame, neglecting his own business and exposing his little wealth while perhaps in a state of intoxication,— a state in which a great part of the new settlers will be found soon after thoir arrival in this foreign laud— their vigilance being overpowered by the li(iu' h 72 great evil, but at this critical moment of the emigrant's life it is an evil of the most serious kind, as it may darken the emigrant's prospects completely, by throw- ing him and his whole family into irretrievable ruin. And, in truth, such has been the fact in many instances. T would say to the mos<- dissipated emigrant that ever crossed the Atlantic ocean, (if he inquired of me for my best advice) if ever you intend to be one month sober in the remainder of your life, let it be the first month after your arrival, ibr sober acts arc the only sure foundation for colonial prosperity. 1 well remember while in America reading one of the provincial newspapers, which recorded an instance which will well illustrate the foregoing remarks. A British emigrant who had lately arrived with a large sum of money, chiefly silver, was so foolish as to take his wealth along with him dur- ing his searching for a proper lot of land for his location. And imprudently having given a hhit of the contents of his box to the unprincipled landlord of the inn where he was stopping for a few days, whilst this foolish fellow was in the country purchasing a fiirm, the landlord was found to have absconded, not foii;ottii;g to take his guest's money with him, 5o the emij:ra/it's utter ruin. Hence every emigrant will soo the necessity of strictly concealing the amount of his wealth and the place of its deposite, whether on his person or in the luggage ; for the least information attainua on iiiis subject by the fraudulent, will be sufficient to stimnU.j them to attempt its removal. Another annoyance in daily operation, to 73 the ^reat disadvantage of the singer while travellmg "these provinces is, the great diversity of the money in circulation ; for both silver and copper cotns_ are m circulation belonging to ahnost every natton, ana many belonging to no nation, being only spur.ous coins made by certain parties throua> fraudulent intention=^ Besides the real coins of diflcrent tuaions found in these pro- vinces in circulation, are so deiaced that it is totally impossible for any stranger, without nuch time and ex- perience, to know Uieir real value. From tins circum- stance alone ho will be often most grossly imposed upon by the petty and nnpriuoiplcd tavern and store keepers on his route, for they will give silver coin hi exchange for bis gold, reckoning their silver by itsonginal value ; but the stranger no sooner arrives at the next stage or landhig place, where perchance be offers some of the silver to pay his fare or for some refreshments, than he finds it much decreased in value. Complaining is use- less, and as f„r returning, that is altogether impossible, being perliHOs a hundred miles or more from the place where he had bis sovereign changed; a fac. which the vUlan, . "heat knew well wo, !d occur : and it is very hapr.oaVie that the emigrant will ever afterwards trave th" same route. Though in this these mean impostor «e sometimes deceived. To illustrate this subject 1 .ould record several cases which I knew pnctised on others, and not a few which I myself experienced, and in hotels of respectability, as understood, m America^ HowevT. I shall give the history of one instance of i I U I i II I i I! I< V ! 1 m glaring imposition as follows. I remember stopping all night at an inn of respectable appearance while travel- ling the route of one of those long roads called streets, in the upper province of Canada, some little time after my arrival in the colony, by which time I had become some little acquainted with the heterogeneous coins in circulation in the provinces ; however, in the morning on paying my bill of fare, I received considerable change in silver from the landlord himself, which I examined witb the greatest attention, and notwithstanding a further lesson of instruction on the subject I could not make it out to be correct; as such I remembered the affair, although I 1 visited the inn and again was imposed on, but tc <'.{ , trifling amount that 1 made no remarks on che subjd, further than a full determination never to visit the house again. It so happened some short time afterwards, while ridmg to the capital of the pro- vince I had the company of two old settlers, originally emigrants from Yorkshire, I believe Hull, or its imme- diate neighbourhood. The subject of conversation for miles was, what trade or profession, or in fact, what class of men make the most capital in America in the shortest time. After umumerable remarks on trade and agriculture, the subject turned on :a\^em-keepers and a long list of landlords who apparently had : * ide wealth in a few years was talked over, amongst whom was the impostor who had twice cheated me. And as the oppor- tunity offered I mentioned my suspicions of the landlord's dishonesty to both my friends, by whom it was agreed we ^ \ \ n should call and test his honesty again, as they had heard the same base character of him repeatedly before. Accordingly we called, and as previously agreed I was carelessly to receive the change, as the best mode of offering an attempting opportunity, and as was expected the landlord again made a mistake of four coppers in the change of one dollar in his own favour. My two friends were very anxious to express their sentiments to the landlord, I however opposed any wrangling, knowmg it to be the last possible opportunity he could have of pilfering from me at least, and being highly satisfied with having substantiated my notions of the landlord's baseness to the conviction of my two respectable friends. The following case, of which 1 was myself a witness, was on the whole a more gross attempt at fraud than the case already stated. While at one of the respectable inns at a town not twenty miles from the celebrated Niagra Falls, on the sixth of July last, a gentleman who had been detained through severe indisposition at the hotel a few days, and who in the hurry of the moment of departing had received his bill of fare, and had settled it, unsuspicious of fraud, accideutly dropped the account while he sat in the coach at the hotel door, which was immediately about driving off to the lake to meet the steam packet Canada, on his route to Toronto. The account was picked up by another gentleman, who inquired for the owner, who thus accidently was led to look over his bill, and to his great astonishment observed at the bottom of the account several dollars added as 76 bar-bill; he instantly called for the bar-man and taxed him with the imposition, who, without any attempt on his part to palliate the attempted fraud, refunded the dollars. The gentleman then inquired for the landlord, who never appeared ; when, after a little more waiting, we drove off: the gentleman repeatedly declared, that he had never tasted spirits in the house, having been too ill the whole time. As a further illustration of the impositions of this nature, so important in point of economy, T will state the following fact :— while in a retail store of much business, although not the most extensive one of the province, I brought tliis subject into conversation, when immediately the proprietor turned out his till of heterogeneous copper coins— all of which at that time passed current inCanadas— uponthe counter, requesting me to look them over and take any I thought proper, if I considered them of sufficient value as curiosities. I took advant-age of the kind offer and selected nineteen pieces, which 1 chose as the most curious, though I might' have had many more, had they not been so mutilated and defaced as to be nearly illegible. It is highly necessary that every visitor to this great western colony should have some little knowledge, at least, of money and its relative value, and of the best mode of transporting it with profit and security. In my opinion, the best form in which to transport money Across the Atlantic as a profitable speculation, is in gold and silver British coin ; though as to the most 9 ms fcl secure method, I have some doubts on the subject. Where the amount is great the following plan is often followed, and is a mode of procedure for the most part convenient. The money is deposited with some mercan- tile firm or bank of known respectability, which is con- nected with British America, for which a letter of credit will be given to the amount deposited, and on present- ing your acknowledgment of credit to the parties concerned, you will receive your money according to agreement, at the rate of exchange current at the tune, which is for the most part about sixteen per cent iu favour of England. The only objection to this mode, particularly when conducted through a mercantile establishment, is occa- sional delay, for 1 have heard repeatedly complaints of the delay which they the emigrants had to encounter before they could receive their money. Therefore, to put away all chance of disappointment, and particularly when the amount is merely trifling, I would advise the emigrant to transport it himself, and wholly either in British gold or silver coin, for with sober discretion and proper precaution there will be little fear of losing so important a friend. In British America, sterling money of pounds, shillings, and pence, is known by the name of Halifax currency ; and a British sovereign passes for twenty-four shillings, Halifax currency ; and a British shilling passes for one ahillmg and two-pence, Halifax currency. Hence the utility of taking gold or silver coin from Engkud : or, i\ I ' n if convenient, Spanish dollars might be taken, for they are equally as serviceable and valuable, and pass cur- rent with the like freedom in the colony. The paper money hi circulation in this British colony are dollar bills, which is, in fact, the chief medium of exchange, and are so low in amount as one dollar, and to any amount upwards. The respectable bankmg establish- ments of the province are exceedingly liberal to the industrious and deserving settlers ; and their system of accommodation is as follows. Any sum, for instance, two hundred pounds is discounted at ninety days date, one fourth of which is paid at the expiration of that time ; the note is again renewed for a further ninety days when a second payment of another installment is re- quired; and again the note is renewed for the remaming half for ninety days longer, until the whole is paid by ninety days installments. Thus it is evident the whole amount of the two hundred pounds will not be required to be liquidated until the expiration of three hundred and sixty days. The whole expense behig only a com- mon rate of interest, there being no stamps required in British America. The gold cfuns in circulation throughout the provhiues ure British ^vereigns only, and they are not very ul)uudant, MS a medium of excliange in ordinary affairs. The silver coins hi circulation ui the i)r()vinces are of ureat variety, including British, Spanish, bVeuch, and the United States dollars, half-dollars, and quarter- dollars with five and ten cent pieces. 'lUie silver coin ■ ' flF'^" ' |^^- ' T )r tliey 3S cur- ! paper dollar ihange, to any ;ablish- to the stem of Lstance, ys date, of that sty days t is re- nauiing paid by e whole 'equired tiundred a com- uired in rovinees lot very y aftairs. es are of ii(.^h, and qiiarter- Iver coin 79 of tUe United State, exceed, if any thing U.e coin of any otl^er nation current in tl.e provmces. T^ dol ^ paLs for five shillingB, Halifax currency which a e fo« shiUingB and four pence sterling (or Bnt.h value) rCalf dllar passing for two shillings and s.xpen , or two shillings and twopence sterlmg; ana he othe uuarter dollars have the like proportionate value. The Sy iio'ted copper coin of the present re,g:>, now becoming abundant throughout the provmces, wJl, Si, -Pe-ae the present defaced copp. monres and tokens current in the colony, and wluch s a alu able improvement for the well being of the colomsts. The markets of the provinces are exeeedmgly good, being always well supplied with the best and most chcuee pIlions'intueirproperseason,andiueverypomtmgh V e with the best market of an European c.y, exceptm, the want of sea fish, and the lateness of the vegetable production; the distance from tl'e -a prevents the >n^-.>- ductionof the former, and their long wmters the Utt r^ The currency prices of this year, 1 835,mtght be quoted as follows, although it must be admitted that all con. „.odities vary n.ore or less every market :_-beef, mutton, veal, each 4d., pork, 5d„ hams 6d., bread 2d butter 7d ^ug^ 7d., tea --'s. Od. to os., coffee Is. 2d., nee 3d 2ese Od., soap 4d., candles.id., moulds 8d. perpound. Kouls Is. lid. and ducks 2s. (id. per paxr; geese -s. 9d. each, and turkeys 3s. Od. Eggs Od. per dozen. Greerr pork is generally sold by the cask, at about 5 dollars percwt. h2 ii 80 Grain is for the most part sold by the bushel, and flour by the barrel of fourteen stone, viz. flour 25s. per barrel, weight as above. Wheat 5s., barley 2s. 6d., Indian corn 4s., oats Is. 6d., potatoes Is. 3d., rye 4s., peas 3s. Od. per bushel. The wholesale prices of spirits, mui 5s. 6d., gin 5s., brandy 7s., whiskey 2s. 6d., ale Is. per gallon, and London porter in bottles 12s. per dozen. During the winter months the markets are amply supplied, and whh greater variety of produce, in fact, the appearance of the market is altogether changed, for the beef, mutton, and pork are brought in whole carcases, frozen as hard and inflexible as a marble statue. The quantity of deer which is brought in this state to the market during the winter, from all parts of the remote forest is very remarkable, the settlers in the distant A'oods taking advantage of the goodness of travelling with their sleighs over the snow, pour in their super- abundance of marketable produce. And other articles, such as fish from the ocean of every description, are likewise brought to the market of the provinces from the United States, seaport towns, from a distance pro- bably of nearly one thousand miles over land. As to the value or price of live Ftock in the provinces, it is like the other markets in Europe, for it varies occasionally very much. The French T inadian horses of the lower province are generally low, in iact, they are ponies of a good size, and are much and deservedly celebrated for their beauty, strength, and superior action ; «S i% and • crr^cM\ sleek condition, wr lut; i colony in good sieeii respective owners. Ine price cu ^,.n.,r^ncr pair.wlncli i la the upper province ttoe..^^^^^ England annnally, of goou "° ^^^ ^^,t of i „iUeU has done nn.ch toward unp^ "^^^ ^„„a the , this part of the colony. "^^ /^ /'^j^ee, which is French Canadian horse of the ^^ ' ^„,, ,,, UWsc in good condition, --'\ f^f. j'^.^e in rr;:irtt- twenty dollars, if .en pa>rea and matched in ^^^^^ ,„j,„rta„ee are no. so Cows heing considered of less P considerately treated in f"- -;!,:; ,,, f,„„er's f„,theyareturnedhitothefoe»Uia >n^ ^^^ ,,^^, location, there to roam m ea ch of lea blades of grass the whole ol the da. 1 y_^^^ Urly for the most part every e«^^^^^^^^ , Ju which is incessantly *-f";f'.;';j;,,,t associate iu herds, the muted tmklmg oi ji, ,,eeable to -ostdiscordantsonJwU.h,^^^ anyonewandermgmtUelortMw ^^ IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-S) 4^0 euse by the settlers, who turn them into the forest, there to roam with an unlimited stray, to feed on wild fruits and roots and what little herbage thoy can hunt out. They generally return 4 ■**m f •V 85 every night, and are very seldom lost, although occa- sionally an odd one gets destroyed by the wild beasts of tlie wilderness ; however, it is asserted that a herd of swine will hold even a bear at defiance. These immense droves of swine are slaughtered during the winter, and after being salted are barrelled f(''- home consumption and exportation,— and the demand is generally very good for fresh barrelled pork — each barrel generally contains about fourteen stones. Pork is the chief ani- mal food consumed by all new and remote settlers for a long series of years after their location, and is a very convenient food for such distant places of abode. It is very seldom that hogs are killed and dried, though a process equally as easily manajred in x\merica as in England ; however, it is now becoming rather more common amongst the English emigrants than it used to be a few years ago ; still, even at this time, several of the American farmers wnll not allow it can be done to good effect. The price of a good strong fold -yard pig is about four dollars ; and the younger ones may be valuct' by their weekly age, in round numbers, as follows : — a live weeks old pig is worth about live shil- ling.?, and a ten wcc ks old one about ten shillings, and so in proportion for the intermediate ages ; and it is like- wise to be remembered this price is for summer only, as respects the young ones, for in winter they are not worth having gratis, on account of the trouble which they would require to protect them during the severity of the frosts, which often kills them in great numbers, even with the best precautious. s\ ■! i I 86 The geese of the Canadian farmers are often to be seen around their homestead in vast flocks, for there is every attention given to the breeding of them by the housewife, chiefly on account of their feathers, which are of great value, being so much in demand for bedding. Their feathers are often stripped oif in a most cruel manner, and occasionally four times a year by the needy new settler ; and whole flocks may frequently be seen dragging their wings after them through the mire in a most deplorable manner, the feathers which support the wings having been ignorantly plucked out. Turkeys are not very abundantly bred in the pro- vinces as farm-yard poultry, though in the western districts tolerably large flocks may occasionally be seen belon^'ug to the adjoining farmsteads. The other kinds of douiesticatcd fowls are very plentiful throughout the province, with the exception of ducks and Guinea fowls. Why ducks should be so rarely bred in Canada, I can- not account for ; however, so it is, for I scarcely saw a dozen in the whole province, though the natural advantages of the country are of the iiiost extensive description for the breeding of such poultry. It cer- tainly must be on the principle of imitation, so univer- sally followed in America, of not doing any manner of thing because a neighbour does not think proper to do the like. •4 i ,*r~ -^H V-'.?- '*^ ^, scarcely be borne. The average range of i ahreuUeit thermometer, during the snmmer, is about ninety de- grees ; and on an extreme hot day, of which some year. Lre arc not . few during the summer, the thermometer will rise to above the hundred and twentieth degree, and is then so oppressive that work is for a time near y suspended, excepting in the shady forest where the woodman pleasantly embowered and shaded from the rays of the scorchmg sun plies his axe. It may truly be stated that North America, strictly speaking has on^' two seasons, which are summer and winter here bemg „oautumn,forthedoclineofsummer, -inchmAme™ is termed thcfallof the year, hasnothmg. """^^ of the European autumn ; neither is th ' ^ twilight evenings of some hours duration in England ; there the sun no sooner dis.; • darkness envelopes all around. Therefore, it is equall, true, that there is day and night only. The keenness of the lior.h American wmter, which nuickly follows the summer heat, is severe m the ex- Lme, though the winters of Upper Canada are cons,- derl y less' evere, than in the lower province, bemg the length of winter is progressively perceptiWe as th 'tier Lances towards the shores of lakes Erie a, Huron, or the western parts of Upper Canada. Ihe "i f the thermometer m the lower provmce is some- times as much as tliirtj degrees below freezing point or Zero, and will average ten degrees below that point during the winter ; thus the extreme of a winter in Lower Canada iti nearly incredible, and is often fatal to the domestic an ^als and poultry ; and if fortunately they escape being frozen to death, they are generally mutilated in such a manner that they ever afterwards are decrepit;- and very few of the working class who are naturally exposed to all weathers, pass the wmier without in some manner or other having siid experience of the direful effects of the frosts. Yet the Canadians are delighted with the winter half year, which they call their gay season, and which commences in November, with a heavy fall of snow. Then the sleighy or sledges, and a great variety of other kinds of ^•ehicles come into requisition by the settlers, and immediately on the nvers and lakes becoming sufficiently frozen to bear the tra- velling vehicles and horses they are crossed with safety. This effectual freezing of the hikes generally happens about Christmas, — a time when the frost becomes mtenso and steady. At this time the roads are good, therefore the traveller in his sleigh will now take the shortest naUe to the place of his destination, hecduig not the lakes or swamps, for winter makes the best of roads, in fact, they may truly be termed winter rail roads, which advantage gives a grand opportunity to the remote set- tlers of visiting the city or town on business, or of gix'iug a visit to their distant friends or fellow countrymen; and it is truly astonishing what extraordinary distances ary iff 1 % ,ft^ M I ; I '•! 1 1 it r I m ^ ID i:] 4-' 9^ travelled over in the course of a few days in tlieir sleighs, sixty or seventy miles per day being often completed. However the rough shod horse suffers greatly from over exertion during the winter months, or the season of recreation of the Canadian gentry. For in addition to the amazing swift pace at which the horse is driven over the immense lakes of ice, he has often to leap and drag the sleigh after him, over fissures in the surface,- a practice most dangerous both to the driver and the liorse. Few winters pass over without several horses being lost in the lakes between the ice, and m some cases more melancholy consequences have been the result of such hazardous journies. These are exertions so laborious for the horse, that few last the whole ot the sleighing season, particularly if driven by a furious owner, who has the racing spirit of the province ; which spirit is often carried by all parties during their sleigh riding to extremes, and always to the serious injury ol the valuable horse, for the proprietor will scarcely ever allow any one to pass him during the whole day's drive. The appearance of the scene is very animatmg when the sleighs are numerous and the horses neatly and fantastically caparisoned, with a strmg of bells tinklmg round their necks,-the use of which is to give notice to opposite parties, so that no misfortune may occur m passing-for without this mimusical notice, the travel- lers would be perpetually coming in collision during the night, for the silence of the gliding sleigh cannot be heard ut any distance. 1 o J* >! ,^ i < 1' i I I fr i. 04 During the month of January the frost is the most' j^evere, so much so, that it is nearly dangerous leaving home for any length of time, for fear of ill effects. The thermometer being perhaps twenty degrees or more below Zero. To talk of Zero to the general class of emigrants would be nearly unintelligible, therelbre to a fact in illustration. When the noble castle of St. Louis, at Quebec, was discovered to be on lire, in January, 1834, about mid- day, the fire engines were quickly on the spot, and every possible exertion made to put a stop to the devouring conflagration, but without success ; for the engines soon became frozen up and thereby rendered useless, though worked actively and incessantly by the spirited fire companies, and assisted by the troops of the castle, which all i'ailed in keeping the engines practically use- ful, and as a last resource hot water was thought of, which was amply supplied by the inhabitants, but all in vain, for the intense cold kept them no frozen as to be still unserviceable. In the opinion of the most com- petent observers of the scene, had not the weather been so severe on the occasion, the greater part of the castle would have been saved, — at least, from total destniction : such is the severity of the month of January in both Upper and Lower Canada. The ground at this time is thickly clad with it's white mantle, which buries all lesser objects from the view ; while all around is still, without the least breeze to stir the leafless forest bough. i^^ 95 Neither is tliere quadmped, bird, or reptile to be seen, all having emigrated or secreted themselves in the security of their torpid state; the gaunt wolf alone, impelled by hunger, prowls through the calm but inhos- pitable scene around them. Tbe forest now might rival even the tomb for its profound silence. The winter requires that good fires be kept in every habitable part of the house ; and wood being the fue^ used in the province, every settler diligently provides a sufficient stock for the long winter, each room in the house being furnished with proper stoves for the burning of wood fuel ; which stoves are often kept in a state of red heat for a day nearly together, to counteract the severe cold of the room. For these stoves the wood is cut into smaller billets of about one foot and a half long-, while the logs of timber which are burnt in the kitchen, where the f is on the floor, are often three feet in length and girth,-— when hard wood is used, which is the best of fire wood. The lire in the kitchen is of great size and checriul on a cold winter day : similar fires are kept in the bar-rooms of the hotels throughout the pro- vinces, day and night ; for by legislative authority every bar-room must be open during the night, with a good fire and ready attendance to the benighted traveller : indeed were it otherwise there would be iimumerable deaths from starvation ; and they are not so uncommon at present, for if unfortunately a sleigh rider happens to lose himself during the night, the probal)ility is, that he will be frozen to death before morning. I K '{ I 96 The month of April proclaims a breaking up of the winter and farmmg is again thought of. The change is known by the thawmg of the trees of the forest, which give a report like that of a piece of artillery. The chief out door work during the winter is cliopping,-which can be more or less attended to-the woodman always takmg the precaution of heating, or what he calls thaw- ing his axe, prior to commencing chopping, otherwise it is liable to be broken by being frozen. Neither will he forget to supply himself with a sufficient stock of whiskey, for eatables are not suited to such occasions during the severe weather, because they soon become so hard frozen that no impression can bn made upon them even by the most hmigry. Foddering the cattle during the winter is another employ which is often most carelessly managed by the generality of the farmers, who often neglect havhig the necessary supply of winter food, which should always be in great abmi- dance, for the long winter of the province causes an immense consumption. The extremely sudden changes of the climate of North America occasionally give rise to the most tremendous hurricans, which often take a direct course across the country for immense distances, and with such fury that every thing gives way to the violence of the blast, trees of the greatest growth will be uprooted and swept away to incredible distances ; as likewise houses and cattle, which are beaten down in all directions, often with loss of life. -^Xta s*^ 97 The author witnessed the effects of one of these whirl- wind hurricans while in North America, which had passed across a river, on whch two ships were sunk by it, and innumerable trees dashed down, and others which h-ld resisted the windy current were nearly boughless and otherwise injured. These alarming hurricans are generally followed by an equally wonderful shower ot rain, which may be truly said to pour down in torrents, the effects of which are incredible to an European ; for my part I was as much surprised by one of those trem- endous showers of rain, as by any natural phenomenon I witnessed on the western continent, for it poured down with such an immense and uninterrupted stream, and caused such a torrent from the higher grounds, that a current was formed which bore objects of great size and weight before it. This was particularly the case down the abrupt descents, where it was really astonishing to observe the deep and dangerous chasms which the Htreamhad torn in these mountainous tracks, by foremg away all the softer materials of the roads, the heavier musses alone being left by the sluice-gate current. miese extremes of the natural phenomenon hold ecmally true with respect to a peal of thunder on this contment, which is dreadfully alarming to any traveller from a temperate climate: during the most severe thun- der storm I ever witnessed in England, I never lelt the least alarm, though I cannot say as much with regard to Wcrica. 1 well remember while standing m the forest on the border of a lake, with a few friends, on a iii- \ i ■ n m k \ 1 morning which in England would be considered the forerunner of a fine da/, suddenly the horizon became over clouded, and this change was as quickly followed hy a vivid flash of lightning and a most tremendous peal of thunder, which was truly terrific, for it shook the very earth and tore down huge trees which were rent into innumerable fragments, and astounded the whole party for some moments. The flashes of light- ning are most alarmingly awful; I have witnessed dur- ing the whole of an evening repeatedly, the lightning playing silently in an almost uninterrupted stream, which had the appearance of an atmosphere envelloped in one continued blaze. % I fl the ame wed lous ook ^ere the ^ht- ur- ing ich me i' HEALTH. Health is so necessary to every emigrant, that its preservation ought to be a primary consideration ; for without health a man becomes useless, nay, is a real burden in a foreign land to his own family ; therefore it is highly necessary that the utmost attention be given to it during the whole of the expedition, and particularly during the voyage. The first ill consequence of the voyage is the usual sea sickness, which is not universal, but so nearly so, that on an average not more than one in seventy fairly escape ; and, though slightly spoken of by many, it is a matter of no light moment to the suf- ferer ; and another fact is that scarcely any two suffer alike, some having only a day, others having it for weeks. I myself, who had been sea voyages thrice before and suffered severely from sea sickness each time, had again the annoyance of thirty-four days sea sickness of incredible severity, during the voyage across the Atlantic ocean. Therefore, to ensure tolerable health, it is highly necessary that every passenger should take a small quantity of medicine of the gentle purgative kind, for \"' ■(■ 100 .itbout such medicines no passenger's «tore can be complete, particularly for long sea voyages for it i incredible nearly the immediate relief winch for the „.ost part follows the taking of small and repeated doses of medicines of that description. I have likewise wit- nessed most severe sufferings amongst the passengers caused by sea sickness, such as fever of the greatest severity, followed with extreme exhaustion of both the mental and physical powers, which on one occasion had every appearance of a fatal termination; and such has been the result in many instances from such severe cases of sea sickness. I say the practice already stated, although simple, is very effectual in such cases. The most proper and useful medicine of this description, and invaluable to such patients is, the Compound Rhubarb Pill or some similar compound pill ; a box or two of which should always be purchased at the port of embar- kation ; two or three may be considered a dose-three or four times a week. Castor Oil, Carbonate of Mag- nesia, and Kpsom Salts, might be taken amongst then: stores in small quantity, with great advantage by the heads of families, as behig the most mild, and therefore the most manageable by the most unskilful in medicine. As ships with emigrants rarely have a surgeon on board, — althou -h no ships so much need a professional officer— they ought to be enforced to take one when the passe i^ers exceed one hundred. " Medicines for the voyage should always be taken in bottles, with accurately ground glass stoppers, otherwise sail be )r it is br the d doses ise wit- sengers rjreatest )otli the iioii hud uch has L severe y stated, s. The ioii, and Rhubarb )r two of f enibar- le — three of IVIag- igst their ;e by the therefore iiiediciue. ou board, I officer — le passe B taken in otherwise ** the damp air of the ship will soon spoil them. The fever which commonly attacks passengers durmg tlio voyage is the remittent. It is generally believed that sea water will not give any individual cold, as it is familUarly termed, however they may be drenched. This is a ibulish and mistaken notion, for I have seen repeatedly, several individuals attacked with intermittent and remittent fever, and other affections of an inilammatory nature, in duo time alter being drenched to the skin by the shipping a heavy sea. Hence it is proper that every passenger ought to have suitable medicines for such fevers, should they be so unfortunate as to have an attack; and as a iurther rea- son lV.r takin. such medicines it is justice to state that acme is a common fever throughout the greater part of North America ; and in certain swampy districts few new settlers escape repeated attacks for any length of time after their lirst h>caling themselves in these un- healthy woodland districts. In fact parts are scarcely habitable from this cause alone, particularly ir. the western settlements of the United States. The most proper medicuie for such patients is Sulphate of Quinine, which can at all times be admhiistered in urgent cases without the advice of a medical man, and in which no bad effects of a serious nature can ibUow any tritlmg mismanagement on the part of the ignorant. The ordinary dose of Quinine for an adult will be three or four grains, twice or thrice a day, which might be made into powders or pills, and can be had so compounded ill :; it 102 of any rospccljible druggist at the ports of embarkation. Tliis nicdiciue ouglit to be taken in good quantity, for the inconvenience of consulting a doctor at some fifty or more miles off, is not a slight matter to the remote aguish settler, for of all fevers ague is particularly liable to relapse from slight and accidental causes in districts where the atmosj)here is impure from the exhalation of miasmata from the neighbouring marshes, though the frequency of secondary attacks so much complained of in such unhealthy locations, would not so often occur providing more strict attention was given to the stomach and bowels, which have a twofold tendency to become torpid and imhealthy for some time after an attack. In truth this is the chief assignable cause of the repeated attacks, which, after a long reign, bid defiance to the most scientific medical treatment, and the most powerful doses of much approved medicines. The opposite extremes of the North American climate, are, 1 believe, rather unfavourable to the health of the British emigrant, as it is universally allowed that the strong and robust, very soon after their settling in the provinces or the states, soon grow thin, sallow, and inactive, and in personal a})pearance look a A'ast deal older than they would have done had they remained in ( rreat Britain. Neither do I believe they live to the average age in the colony which is attainable in England. Notwithstanding it may be interesting to a Yorkshire reader to peruse the followhig fact. While travelling in Upper Canada I perchance met an old woman in the w 103 hundred and tliird year of licr age, and whose hushand died only some two or three years before of nearly the same extraordinary .ge. The old woman told me the following story. 'I'liat her name was Ellis, (if my memory lails me not) and that her husband and herself emigrated from Tunstal, in llolderncss, Yorkshire, to Nova Scotia about eighty years ago ; and after livmg in Nova Scotia about iifty years, they again removed into Upper Canada, where she was then living in good health, with fliculties little impaired, and with every possible likelihood of surviving several years. The most healthful province of North America is generally believed by competent judges to be Upper Canada, from its elevated situation and rich soil, and from it's being comparitively free from the extensive swamps and°mdiealthyprarics so common in certain western states of the North American union. Still Canada is not so free from disease as some writers would fain lead others to imui^rine, for the changeable state of the climate has the like effects r.s in other parts of North America, and disposes persons to inaammatory and bilious diseases. Hence coughs, colds and consumptions are as frequent and fatal as in FAirope. 1 witnessed several cases of consumptive patients, two of which terminated fatally during my sojourn in the country. Medical writers have indeed pretended great astonishment at the apparently few cases of this dreadful malady, which show themselves in the provinces ; but they seem to forget the small numerical ^ k2 IIH 11^ L* i amount of the population of the colony, compared with the densely inhabited isle of Britain. The city of Toronto, the metropolis of the upper province of Canada, has the character of beinj^ very unhealthy ; how it should be so I know not, because from its aj)i)arently advantageous situation I should have considered it tolerably healthy, though it must be granted the slug- gish appearance of the harbour part of lake Ontario, opposite the east end of the city, indicates a degree of unhealthiness;j and the necessity of some improvements which might prevent the waters on the south side of the city from becoming stagnant. Besides the unneces- sary mass of standing forest to the north of this im])ort- ant city ought to be immediately removed ; jdl of which I am certain would improve the salubrity of the air around the city. Such alterations would be attended vzith simiUir good effects in more remote parts of the province, for who could deny but thnf nfior the dense forest is cleared away, and the tremendous swamps and morasses have been so far impro\ "1 ].v draining- and agriculture as to become good faim land, that the country ' 'A\ generally become ; umcwhat more healthy, and that ague in p:u'licular will be less frequent, if not totally unknown, in districts where at present the repeated attacks often tcrmhu'tc in some incurable dis( xse. The medical practitioners in America, particularly in the new and remotely settled districts, have difiiculties to encounter which are not only unknown but scarcely ■ftl_ i 105 credible to a Britisli practitioner. Indeed pucTi are the rides througli forest and swamp, over huge logs and stumps, and on the most wretched roads intersected often with corduroy bridges of some miles in length, and to patients living perhaps fifty niilf- distant, if not much further. Besides it often happens that the remote settler cannot afford the usual fee of half a dollar per mile, therefore, sometimes patients through necessity, with fractured limbs are brought to the doctor in a light waggon over these natural roads perhaps above fifty miles, to their serious sufferings and hijury. In such distant settlements it is (juite out of the question the possibility of the settler being able to send for the re- quired mcdicuies, and to remedy this inconvenience the doctor is provided with innncnse saddle-bags charged nearly to rei)letion with drugs of every kind which may be compounded at the bedside of the patient. I remember one morning while standhig under the piazza of an hotel in the United States, a gentleman of f3::;gular but respectable exterior passed on a tolerable good hor^•c, whom on inquiry I learnt to bo the surgeon of the village, or doctor, as they arc titled throughout America, and on iuiiuiry I found the doctor to have been a familiar collegiate friend. But the singularity of his dre^s rivetted my -.uention, for he wore a straw hat of the most extraordinary dimc'isions, with light grey coloured trowsers, and a blue and white striped waistcoat with sleeves, the collar of which, with the shirt, was thrown open— school boy like— and without K 3 w • *f H' 106 l&ii i ^1 ■•Mi iili a coat, the day being rather hot ; but with shoes great strangers to bhicking, with sadclle, bridle, and rust/ stirrups in perfect accordance. His drug stored saddle bags completed the equipment, with caricature singu- larity. So strange a set off I never witnessed in Canada, though I well remember a prolbssional gentleman, after visiti.ig his patient, turning into an adjoining room and opening his budget of pins, needles, and other similar trifling wareSj so useful in all establishments. The doc- tor, I understood, had lately received a large stock from England, which he regularly took with him for sale, knowing such articles to be very prolitable ; and this and similar practices in remote districts, arc not un- common throughout North America. There is plenty of room for medical gentlemen, with circuits of the widest description, in truth there is vastly too much, for a short list of patients will sulfice to enffajre the whole time of a medical man in such remote regions, where the journies are so extensive and over the worst of roads, and can never be attempted in the night vrilhout the greatest danger. Therefore to ensure euccess l)y combined o})erations, and without being under tliv; di^-agrceable necessity of dealing in small ware, it is advisable that every professional man should have some knowledge of agricultnre, so as to be capa- ble of mauitging a small farm, which is a ])ractice that iij now becoming very general amongst all country practiiioners. Therefore medical men who have a great dislike to agricultural pursuits had belter never emigrute» 107 for in the larger cities and towns there Is great medical competition ; and there is no place in the world (not excepting England) where quackery reigns so triumph- antly as in Xorth America. The following disaster, which was related to me by the medical gentleman to whom it occurred, may serve as an example of the hardships and inconveniences to which they are exposed. Dr. was one day called to attend Capt. whose residence was at a distance of more that twenty miles ; the servant who came described his master as being in a lit of apoplexy, therefore the doctor hastened to mount his horse, and with saddle-bags well stuffed with all the medicines that there was any probability of his ro([uiring, the remaining space filled up with a little haberdashery, which being a very portable mer- chandise, is, as already stated, notwithstanding the incongruity, frequently added to the stock in trade of the Canadian surgeon. Thus equipped he set forward on his journey. The first ten miles was through the thick ibvest, where he was occasionally impeded by the fallen timber, or stumbling over the corduroy bridges of great length, but worst of all through a morass of about two miles. Here he took especial care and anxi- ously looked out for the traces of passeng< • ;. After some search he discovered the marks of oxen, and con- cluded it must be a safe path, but he had not advanced far before his horse sunk up to the hotly. He immedia- tely dismounted, but the poor horse continued to sink until the whole body was buried in the mii'e, so that Iho ,r: -■■i*^..'S """ 1 11 I'i: ^ HI i ! I ,tW' \ i 108 head alone was visible. Providentially a branch of a tree lay near, which he hastily seized and placed it transversely under the horse's chin, which it supported until he searched for assistance. He soon found a shantee, in which were two boys who said their father and the elder inhabitants of the house were gone to a Barn Bee, or to assist some neighbours in erecting a barn. The boys sallied out with him in quest of the men, and after wandering for near two hours met them just returning home. The doctor told them his pitiful story, and they immediately proceeded with him to the spot hi which the p-^'ir horse was left, and fortunately found it precisely in the same position in which he had left it. The men, as is usual with the inhabitants of the forest, had their axes with them, and a tree was soon levelled. The branches were thou cut off and placed round tlie horse to give the men firm looting, and by means of levers taken from the tree the poor animal was raised withe at much injury, and after was!' • ing the horse and his c(piipmcnts, the doctor once more set forward on his journey. As jnight naturally be ex- pected after so much dclny the captain had been dead some hours Ixlbn^ his a;iival. Whetlior or nut the doctor descended IVom his slilts and phiycd the psirt of the spruce haberdasiier 1 did not inquire, but it is not an uncommon circumstance, as I have already stated, for a medical man after i)rescribing for the sick to adjourn to another room, and there to disphiy as much anxiety and nearly C(puil skill iu the rccommcudatiou 109 of his wares, pins, tapes, thread, &c. which are, to say the least of them, as efficacious in the repair of the invalid's wardrobe, as the drugs contained in the remain- ing portion of his saddle-bags are to the recovery of his health. Another fruitful cause of disease, and sanc- tioned by the legislature, is the barricading the stream of water for the purpose of gaining a fall for a mill. I have scon several new settled villages insulated nearly with stagnant waters, when prior to the barricade being erected there was none excepting a clear murmuring stream. However the springing into existence a new village demanded cither a grist or saw mill, and proba- bly both, the stream was stopped to the serious injury of the adjacent inhabitants' healch, which ought to hava been a primary consideration, and not a secondary. Every ship with emigrants will have to submit to th© ordeal of the quarantine laws. The ship, prior to arriv- ing at Quebec by the route of the river St. Lawrence, will come to anchor off Goorse Island, which is the quarantine station, and will there be inspected by the olliccrs of the esttiblishmcnt. After passing this ordeal the anchor is weighed, and the ship is again on her way. Of the inconvenience of this examination, by causing unnecessary delay and expense, I have heard repeated complaints ; whether such complaints so loud and gene- ral be fair or exaggerated 1 know not, but this I will assert, that there is not that due respect shown to shipi with medical officers ou board that there ought to be. I 110 It is not to be granted tliat the professional officers of 6uch establishments have all the medical knowledge to themselves, therefore I contend that every ship with a Burgeon on board ought not, on any account, be com- pelled to come to an anchor one moment at any quaran- tine station, after transmitting a proper certificate duly signed by the surgeon and captain as to the healthful etate of the whole crew and passengers. I don't pretend to deny the utility of such establishments, in truth, I allow their just policy when well conducted by able officers; for it ccrtahily is a matter of the utmost import- ance the preventing the importation of disease during eickly seasons in foreign countries from whence emi- gration flows, though it must be allowed that the best regulated quarantine establishments are not infallibly successful in preventing the importation of disease, whether it be from the careless and matter of form manner in which they are often conducted, I know not. Hence such establishments should not be kept up but during sickly seasons, for, otherwise, instead of being useful and right, they are a true source of annoyance, and by the unnecessary delay and expense, which often can ill be spared by such passengers, thoy are injuri- ous. The provinces this year have been in the most healthy state, though it was well known that the cholera raged with fatal effects in some of the larger towns in the united states, particularly in Buflalo. This summer, 1835, there were few cases in British *^^^**^i#^^i^5^^*B«^K^^*tt' .?'™/.Si? Ill H America. The only case I saw was that of a highly respectable merchant, who was attacked on board the steam packet while passing between the city of Toronto and Kingstone; and it was a severe and protracted attack, which fortunately gave way to the treatment pursued, and had a favourable termination. ^ '^ Mil THE LAKES. The lakes of Nortli America are on siieli a magnificent scale that they aiu unequalled in the world, and well accord with the noble surrounding forest of primeval growth and unknown extent. These immense sheets of fresh water arc navigable for ships of any burthen ; and during the late war between England and the United States there were a ileet of armed ships navigating them belonging to each of the contending parties, sonu' of which carried above one hundred pieces of cannon ; and several severe and im- portant naval battles were fought. There are not at this time any armed vessels on the lakes, they are all laid up in the dock yards of Kingstone,— a port at the north east point of lake Ontario— and are kept in such a state of repair as to be soon got ready if unfortunately they should be again required to vindicate a country's cause. The lakes are traversed by innumerable small ships of about one hundred and fifty tons burden, and with the largest and most beautiful and convenient •team packets imaginable, indeed they may be compared 113 to small floating towns, for there is no lack of barbers and shoe-blacks and such like operatives on board. The steam-packets being of the high pressure descrip- tion, the whole interior of the vessel is unoccupied by machinery, which is therefore generally converted into two cabins of the most splendid and rather gaudy description, although at the same time very convenient. The fish found in these fresh water lakes or seas are . in the greatest abundance and variety, and are the source of great profit to the inhabitants of the whole provinces. The most common are the different kinds salmon, pike, trout, pickerel, muskalonge, carp, mullet, bass, sturgeon, and white fish, or a kind of large white herring of fine flavour. There are no shell fish, such as lobsters, crabs, muscles, cockles, or oysters ; and it cannot reasonably be supposed such crustaceous fish could live and multiply if transported into these fresh water lakes, from out of the briny ocean. This scheme has not yet been tried, though, if I am not misinformed, it h.is been spoken of by some of the provincial legisla- tures. The plan generally followed in catching fish on these lakes is by the net, though they are often caught in the night by spearing them, which is at all times a dangerous sport, particularly to the inexperienced settler, and is performed in the following manner. The sportsman stands with his three-pronged barbed spear in the bow of the canoe or boat, the fish being attracted and readily observed by a torch or beacon light of L "if m f 114 y i ,an if blazing pine knots, in an iron cylinder, fixed to tlie bow of the boat. The sportsman, being very wary, strikes the fish, while the man in the stern of the boat gently steers to the signal of the spearsman. Spearing fish is sometimes practiced in the day time for amusement, but always with much less success. And so plentifully stored with fish are the innumerable rivers, streams, and lakes of every description tliroughout the colony, that every settler will have an opportunity of fishing at leisure, however remotely located. At the preseni time the whole of the provinces are remarkably well supplied with abundance of good and wholesome water by the countless number of lakes, though it is to be feared pure water will be found rather scarce in certain parts of this continent ere long, for there is abundant evidence of extensive sheets of water in the forest having dis- appeared after the surrounding districts were laid open and cultivated, whereby the drying winds and scorching sun had free access, and absorbed the whole of the shallow sheet of water, which could not have been the case had the lakes remained embowered by its original wild woods. Other lakes of miles in extent, and where the bor'.y of water is too great to be absorbed during the summer, being exposed by cultivation, have been known to decrease much in size, to the great in- convenience of several of its surrounding settlers. The largest known is lake Superior, which is four hundred and fifty miles long, one hundred and ten miles wide, and above three hundred yards deep. 115 Lake Huron is two hundred and fifty miles long, one hundred miles wide, and two hundred and fifty yards deep. This is a most beautiful lake, being studded with numerous islands which are inhabited by the Huron tribe of Aboriginal Indians; with numerous bays, of great extent and beauty. Lake Erie is two hundred and thirty miles long, and about sixty miles wide, and seventy yards deep. This lake is the most difficult and dangerous of the American lakes to the navigator, being the shallowest, and full of ex!cnsive shoals of the most dangerous description. Lake :Michigan is three hundred miles long, fifty miles wide, and one hundred yards deep. Lake Ontario is two hundred and fifty miles long, sixty miles wide, and nearly two hundred yards deep, and is the most important of the great lakes for traffic, at present being wholly surrounded by a densely colo- nized country. Lake Champlain is above one hundred miles long, and very narrow, being not above a few miles across in the widest part ; whereby it is generally termed a mere slip of water. This lake is likewise of most ^lifli- cult and dangerous navigation, for I well remeiber while crossing to have seen several of the small craft of the lake aground in the mud, with a luie of several yoke of oxen '^.early overhead in mire, endeavouring to drag the ship out ; such likewise on one occasion was the situation of the steam -packet, but by the force of steam power she soon extricated herself. l2 r I I' ■WVMMpi ■ — » w »? / il a UG Lake Simcoe is about fifty miles long, and about twenty miles wide, and of unknown depth. This lake has the ornament of some wooded islands, and a bay of great beauty, called Kempenfelt bay, which is surrounded by a dense forest, excepting to the north, whcv within a breach of the forest, stands on the sloping shore the infant town of Barrie, with its unfinished wooden church. About three miles north of this bay is another lake of about five miles long, and tluree miles wide, called Little Lake. However, to enumerate all the lakes of important magnitude in these provinces would fill a volume, because they are innumerable, through the already known parts, of greater or less extent. Lake Michigan wholly belongs to the United States of America ; as also half of the other great lakes ; whereby they have equal rights with British America to free navigation. But lake Simcoe wholly pertains to Upper ('anada. About these immense lakes, as would natu- rally be supposed, wild ducks can be seen in astonishimr large flocks, and of several varieties ; and apparently very easily approached by a boat,— the sportsman being shaded by some green boughs. The variety called the wood duck is a very singular bird, for immediately on being disturbed they take to the forest tree ; where also they build their nests and roosts; and what is most singular, soon after the young brood is hatched the old duck carries them down to the water in the followinir manner: — the young ducklings fix themselves on the back of the parent, ballancing themselves exactly '!^fff ^ \ 11' betwixt her wiugs during tlie time of her gliding gently and safely down into the water ; which act of transport- ation is repeated till tht whole brood is safely launched into the watery element. I'ffi n I. ■> i IV. fl !• f ' W ' Mi . r?' THE CAXALS. Tn giving a succinct account of the improvements of the colony of British America, the most important, as respects colonizing the province, are the canals ; for no colony in the world, of the same duration as that of l^ppor Canada, can boast of the like numerous and stu- pendous works, all constructed during the last twenty years; and there is no doubt that ere twenty years more liave elapsed, the whole province will be so far improved as to have the aspect of a new conntry under the best state of cultivation ; for the cou)pletion of the numerous railways and canals, now in contemplation, will greatly facilitate the change of its present wild appearance. l :Vi' 1 I i 128 holes of a most dangerous appearance ; and the cause, repeatedly, of serious injury to the traveller and liis horse. Whilst in America, I heard of several valuable horses having their legs broken, on crossing these grossly neglected bridges ; although it is really singular how the native horse will avoid the dangerous breaches in the bridges, and will likewise travel through the forest over the logs with extraordinary ease and agility, compared with the inexperienced European horse ; for I am certain, if nothing V. jrse occurred, they would be brought down on their knees repeatedly during a day's journey. For on the newly opened road through the forest, the trees are cut level by the ground it is true, but soon the earth is beat down, leaving a few inches of the stump peeping out of the ground, the same as on corduroy bridges. This kind of stump is more dangerous than one of la^^er dimensions ; however the native roads are studded with such like wooden projections. There are signs of im- provement on the public roads in the upper province, lor there are a few miles of road made of the best broken' stones, to the north of the city of Toronto, as an experi- ment. On this part of the road was erected a toll-bar, the first ever known in the provinces, and which met with great opposition from the neighbouring settlers. Indeed so zealous were they in opposing what they thought an imposition, that they would ride a circuit of miles over the worst of roads and through the forest, and dangerous swamps, in order to avoid it. This silly practice they soon tired of, and have now become recon- 129 ciled to travel by tlie liigli road, having found out its usefulness, and the wisdom of the legislature in com- pleting so valuable a work. The success of this experimental piece of road being sufficiently evident, other similar improvements are now progressing on a more extensive scale. Thus the imposition complained of, turned out to be a great benefit, for it was well known that the majority of those who complained against the toll bar, did not do so because they disliked ridmg over a good road, neither was it for reason of the trifling toll, but wholly because they would be compelled to have their horses shod to ride to the city ; a practice which is at present uncommon. The horses, like a vast num- ber of the settlers, go unshod a greater part of the year ; others again will have their horses half shod, that is with two fore shoes only, but these opponents to good roads know well, that no unshod horses can ride a day's jour- ney on those broken stone roads without injury. The stage-coaches which travel through this the most central part of the province, are tolerably convenient, though equally dirty with similar vehicles in other parts of the colony. They are for the most part respectably horsed with four, which are often white and switched tailed, and such as would do great credit to a more respectable carriage. However, great allowance must bo given, considering the incredible thickness of the dust which covers the roads during the summer, and the equally extraordinary thick coating of mire during the fall, and again on the breaking up of the whiter. It is worthy of m3 m 130 remark, that after a shower of rain, the sun soon shioes forth and dries the roads with such rapidity that they will have all the hardness and appearance of a rough road in England early on a frosty morning. The stages generally travel at about the rate of six miles per hour, and the fare is five cents per mile. These stages only travel during the day ; in fact, the danger of a night journey on such roads would be inconceivably dangerous, neither is it customary to take outside passengers, for the danger of being tossed off the coach, by the frequent rebounding on the rough roads would be incessant. To illustrate the forcible shocks received by passengers i'l travelling on these coarse roads, I remember once travelling in North America with an elderly gentleman as a fellow passenger in the stage coach, and after suf- fering the jolts of the vehicle for some fifty miles, with repeated stoppages to pickup the hats of uie passengers which often bounced off their heads, and out of the coach, (for all the coaches are thoroughly open on both sides, which admits clouds of dust and a free circulation of fresh air,) all on a sudden a bog was to be passed over, and to make the road shorter, as the coachmen's phrase is ; the driver dashed the horses over it, when the coach gave a shock extraordinary, and suddenly my aged fellow traveller roared out my God ! ! my tongue ! ! which now poured forth a torrent of blood ; the extreme heat of the day, increased the flow to a most alarming current. However nothing could be done till arriving at the next posting house, where the on sliiDes that tliey a rough 'he stages per hour, ages only f a night ingerous, gers, for frequent iicessant. issengers iber once cntleman after suf- les, with jssengera It of the I on both pculation B passed ichmen'a it, when suddenly i ! ! my f blood ; ow to a 30uld be liere the 131 best plan that circumstances would permit was instantly adopted, and the gentleman was somewhat relieved from his unfortunate situation. The expedition of travelling where it is alternately by land and water, as is the mode by the side of the river St. Lawrence, is much owing to the signal which is given from the steam- packet, on its ne-^ring the wharf, to the coach proprie- tor to have a suitable number of vehicles ready. Thus there is the least possible delay in forwarding the traveller on his route. For immediately on landing there is ample attendance of porters belonging to the coach establishment, who with great care and activity place your luggage behind the vehicles, and without any extra charge. Such is the expeditious manner of travelling between Quebec and the city of Toronto, which is unequalled in the provinces for dispatch and accommodation. It is aix."using to see the little black urchin parad- ing the st.3am-packets, immediately after putting off from any landing place where new passengers have been taken on board. This boy with a large bell gives notice of his presence ; after the signal, he proclaims with a loud voice, that massa, the captain, desires every person who has not paid their fare to step to the office. This parade and proclamation is repeated till the captain or steward imagines all have paid their fares. 1 m ii i: I ^ TRADE AND COMMERCE. The trade and commerce of British America is very extensive, and has increased much of late years, and still continues to do so to an extent scarcely to be believed. For the rapidly increasing population causes an enlarged market for all sorts of British manu- factured goods, which are generally imported by the merchants of Quebec and Montreal; although the Toronto merchants have become their own importers of late. The city of Montreal may as yet be called the grand store house of the upper province ; for there terminates the navigation of the river St. Lawrence for ships of large burden. The chief articles exported from this colony are furs, timber, potash, flour, and pork, with other commodities of less importance. The ex- portation trade in timber is so extensive, that more than a thousand ships, as has already been stated, leave the harbour of Quebec a mually, and nearly wholly, if not completely, British. The manufactories of the provinces are young and unimportant, though there are several of more or less extent in the colony. For instance, there are established iron works of growing importance. Near the three rivers on the shore of the river St. Law- 133 renee, are respectable iron works ; and another similar establishment, -lar the town of Kingstone, in the upper province. Ea = f these works produces a great variety of iron ware of the greatest importance to the colony. The manufactories will steadily increase, as far as the nature of the climate and natural advantages of the province will allow ; for there is not any scarcity of ores of iron and lead in the provinces, according to the best attainable information. Salt springs also might be found very valuable, provided that a company of spirited individuals would unite and establish works ; otherwise they will continue to be useless ; as they have been a series of years already past. In the meantime the colonies pay some thousands of dollars to the United States for salt alone. The quarries of marble, of a superior quality, and building stone, are in a great degree abundant in most districts of the provinces. Thus it is evid'^nt this part of the western continent is not destitute of valuable minerals, which I hope will be made to contribute to the wealth of the, colony in a few more years, by some individual or company of patriotic spirit. British North America may be considered on the whole rather a level country, conhiidering its immense extent ; and is not void of the precious metals, fossils, coals, and other valuable minerals, which have been foimd in the vales and in the mountains, and are a further source of wealth whivu has developed itself to the colonists. I !l ili|! ' ;i fi i THE MANUFACTURES. The cliief manufactured commodity for exportation on an extensive scale from tliese provinces is potash, for there is a vast number of manufactories of this salt carrying on a most extenssive trade, and might be further encreased were not the woodashes so carelessly preserved, or wantonly wasted, by the greater part of the farmers, excepting for their own private use of soap- making. The potash is made from the incineration of vegetables. The process of manufacture is very simple, and very similar to the plan followed in manufacturing maple sugar, (which see) for it is merely evaporating, by boiling a ley or strong solution of the salt obtained by boiling the woodashes to a proper consistence. Pearlash is nothing more than the same alkaline salt refined, and which of course is worth more money for exportation. The price of potash at Montreal market this summer, 1835, may be quoted at thirty-four shillings per cwt. ; while pearlashes sold for some few shillings more. The quantity exported annually bcin^ ^0 immense, gives great advantages to certain part;^ of V 'fe il^ portatioij. i potash, tliis salt niglit be arelessly r part of ; of soap- sration of y simple, facturing poratiDg, obtained Lce. aline salt loney for 1 market lirty-four 3ome few illy being' 1 part;^ of 135 the colony, wliich otherwise could scarcely find an inlet for wealth. Another manufactory equally useful, and considerably more universally practiced in almost every corner of the settled forest, than that abeady mentioned, is that of maple sugar, which is generally made by every new settler for several years after his location in the forest, for his own private use, and is performed as follows : — immediately on the breaking up of the winter, the maple tree is penetrated or tapped with an auger, first on one side then on the other, or very often irregularly, and the sap will flow five or seven weeks, supposing the temperature of the weather be moderate. Some settlers on clearing away their forest, leave all their sugar maples ; thus large tracts of land are devoted to the culture of the tree, which forms a sugar bush, in familiar terms, and which will supply the establishment for a long series of years, if the trees be skilfully tapped by an experienced hand. A tree of ordhiary growth generally yields in a favourable season from twenty to thirty gallons of sap ; from which is commonly made five or six pounds of sugar, of a very good quality. In the most convenient part of the maple bush, is erected a hut for shelter, near to which is a large trough, roughly hewn out of an immense tree, which is the general receiving trough of the sap from the innumer- able small troughs into wliich the sap flows from the trees : within a few yards of the hut is the fire, and two or more iron kettles ; to evaporate the sap or syrup, by boiling it to a proper consistence. The whole process 11 I t i i m\ 136 is a most tiresome one, for it must be steadily attended day and night till the season is over, or the sap is exhausted. In general the settler, as soon as his wealth is sufficient to purchase conveniently this article of luxury, necessarily discontinues the home manufactory. The sugar which is made by this process, is generally of a dirty dark brown colour, but exceedingly sweet. The more skilful, who will rigidly attend and do every part of the operation on scientific principles, will manufacture a sugar of a fine rich colour, with a perfect crystalized appearance, so important a charac- teristic of refined sugar, and no way inferior to the best imported from the West-Indies. The whiskey distilleries of the colony, are numerous and extensive establislmients ; as it is the chief spirit consumed, and is very cheap. The average price, wholesale, will be from two shillings to three shillings and sixpence per gallon, according to its quality ; how- ever, as money is frequently a scarce commodity amongst whiskey drinkf^rs, the tavern-keepers, wishing to accom- modate the small means of their numerous customers, keep the worst of whiskey, so as to be able to sell it cheap, as they term it ; and the whiskey distillers adulterate accordingly. Having caught two green snakes as natural curiosities, with the intention of bringing them over to England, I placed them in a bottle, and in a short time afterwards added whiskey to preserve them : the next morning on examining them, I found they were nearly as white as snow, wliich was a sufficient evidence of a 137 most powerful acid, being an ingredient of adulteration, and very injurious to tlie liealtli of the consumers. Howe\ , I cauglit others and treated them differently with success. The brandy of the whole of this conti- nent is likewise very inferior, behig grossly adulterated by well known stimulants, thereby to be able to sell cheap glasses ; in fact it is too cheap, for the temptation which their low priced grog holds out to the emigrant of irregular habits is serious ; and is every day showing its injurious effects. The general system followed in all the taverns, is to hand forwards to the guest the decanters of whiskey and brandy; the guest then assists himself to either of the spirits, and to a glass of what strength he thinks best to his liking, either adul- terated with water or neat spirit ; for the most part the spirit is drank neat, and a mouthful of water is taken afterwards. Each glass of this grog will cost three- half-pence, and occasionally two-pence; thus it is evident a lover of spirits will have a daily opportunity of being intoxicated for this trifling cost. Ale is a wretched article, for such a thing as a glass of good American brewed, is scarcely known in the colony ; and this is a grievance much complained of by the British emigrant; as is likewise their favourite beverage, porter; the London imported porter being too expensive for their enjoyment ; the price of which is elsewhere stated. The brewers in America have innumerable difficulties to eucoimter from the climate, both in brewing and N Jl I I * ■ i 138 malting ; and the great inferiority of the native barley, compared to the British, is a great draw back to com- plete success. However, they have the advantage of excellent hops, which are chiefly grown in the United States, and will be bought generally for about one shilling currency per pound. They are grown in the provinces, is true, but in small quantity only, although the climate is sufficiently friendly to their profitable cultivation. Fi( simili when empl tion, of th there asser after the g Btatei As a love] spon out negl their I wc chas the irley, com- ?e of nited one 1 the ougli table ! SPORTS. Field and forest sporting in these western wilds is similar in results to the like occupation in England, when followed by those who ought to be otherwise employed ; as it tends to no good. For without excep- tion, shooting and tippling being of one family, are two of the worst practices a new settler can pursue. Still there are some writers so foolish and mistaken as to assert that British poachers of the greatest notoriety, after emigrating into America, become very careless of the gun, and seldom or ever shoot ; nay, have nearly stated, that they had almost forgotlen the use of the gun. As a general statement this is quite incorrect, for such lovers of shooting in England seem fully as fond of the sport in these unknown wilds, for they are seldom with- out their gun ; being as it were wedded to it ; thereby neglecting the more profitable and necessary work of their farm. As a gun is not really necessary to every settler, I would advise no emigrant to trouble himself W pur- chasing one for transportation. And if after residing in the province some time he fancies he needs a gun, he n2 m 1 :|i " n mm '■' mil I 140 will find no lack of them in the colony ; for there they are both plentiful and comparatively cheap. It is singular to observe the great care and attention given to his favourite gun by the emigrant on embarking ; at the same time neglecting his other more important packages of luggage. And after all the care, the guns generally taken are unfit for the sports of the Canadian forests and lakes ; for in the forest the rifle is the most proper, either for bird or wild beasts ; and on the lakes the duck gun only is ol* the least importance. Although, as I have stated, guns are not indispensable, it is otherwise with dogs. No settler should on any account be without a good strong dog aljout his premises ; and one of the half-bred greyhound or lurcher would be the most va- luable. Hunting in the unknown woods of Canada is widely different to sporting in England, as there is not that abundance to be found of wild birds and beasts so generally fancied by English sportsmen. And again, the immense quantity of fallen timber, which is laid promiscuously one tree over the other, impedes his progress. These are often of such extra- ordinary dimensions, that it is impossible for the sports- man to clamber over them with any tolerable comfort ; he is therefore compelled to make a circuit to avoid them ; which makes a few miles tra\elling in the forest in search of sport a most laborious undertaking. Deer stalking, as it is termed, is merely watching the place of their frequent resort; for in the neighbourhood of K salt spring, for instance, they are often found in herds. 141 I- and in other situations well known to the hunter. This kind of ambush sporting is generally pursued in the winter, and is an extreme cold uncertain and unprofitable occupation. In hot weather deer are often shot in the lakes, where they are fond of standing nearly buried in the water, on purpose to keep off the musquitoes ; and from its cooling and refreshing effects, they often remain so long as to be scarcely able to escape when alarmed ; and thus become an easy prey. Hence to hunt deer effectually a man needs to be a real forester ; having for the most part to live in his hut, a life which has in it something very enchanting, for it is certain that no man who ever joins himself as a companion with the foresters, and follows the hunting pursuits for any length of time, ever voluntarily returns to civilized society. In bear hunting there is much good sport, according to the ideas of a sportsman ; for in some districts, where these wild animals are abundant, and the surrounding settlers much annoyed by their destructive incursions amongst the corn fields and live stock, the whole neigh- bourhood is summoned to have a royal field day in hunting with all the dogs they can muster ; and their sleigh bells, and other similar noisy instruments. By this numercial strength of the Imnthig party, an extensive circuit is tanun of several miles of the forest, which in completely scoured, and the bears driven into some neighbouring lake, according to certain preconcerted plans of operation. In the lake or in ambush will be stationed a looker-out, with a rifle to shoot the bear on n3 ■ 142 his taking the water through necessity. Thus a hear hunt is an irregular confused district meeting of the whole neighbourhood and their dogs. The most proper dogs for such sport are the very noisiest that can be found, although activity and cunning is likewise required ; for if unfortunately the dog should attack and seize the bear, it will be almost certain death to the former^ for the bear will in all probability tear him to pieces. The dog practiced in bear hunting will never steadily attack the bear ; but will alternately bite his hind legs and retreat with impunity ; the bear not being sufficiently quick on foot for the dog. After this teazing of the bear for some time, he will climb up a tree, w^here he may be readily approached and shot, or the tree may be cut down and the bear clubbed to death by the numerous party, and such is the termination of these hunts occasionally. The sportsman in these Canadian forests can scarcely ever be considered safe, and ought at all times therefore to be armed with a pair of pistols. For if perchance the bear should be wounded, and not thereby sufficiently disabled to prevent his attacking, he becomes extremely dangerous, and will erect himself on his hind legs, and with his tremendous fore claws squeeze his adversary to death. Or should the sportsman wound a young cub, its cries will soon alarm the old one, and the danger on this occasion would be equal if not more than that of wounding the old bear herself. Racoons are likewise treed by dogs in a sJmilar manner to bears, and shot in the tree ; *.* 143 however they are more active than the bears, who unfortunately are compelled to descend a tree in the like position of their climbing it, which is favourable to the sportsman's safety. Wolves, beavers, foxes, and a great variety of other animals of the wilderness, are for the most part caught in traps ; although for the sake of sport hunted and shot. There can be no hunting in these unknown wilds with a regular pack of hounds; however in the lower province, where the country is more open, the gentry keep a regular pack of hounds of respectability, and have their appointments of meeting with as much order as any pack of fox hounds in Eng- land; and have excellent sport, generally, in favourable weather. The foxes are of various descriptions ; rather less than an English fox, and are of different colours ; the black fox is very handsome, as is the black wolf. hi spuirrel shooting, which is almost an universal sport, one person is nearly useless, for the little quadru- peds bound around the trees with such extraordinary agility, that shooting them single-handed is next to an impossibility. The black squirrel, which is large, will lay himself down flat on the top of a strong bough of a liuire tree and survey all the operations of the sportsman below, fancying himself to be perfectly safe. The silver grey squirrel is the most beautiful of the tribe, and by fur the largest found in the provinces. The flying squirrel is amongst the curious quadrupeds found in the wilds, and it is surprising to observe the extraordinary distance they can bound from tree to tree when pursued. ■1. 1 \^ I i.-'; Il It 144 The bat-wing-like membrane which connects the fore legs to the breast, and which is termed their wings, give them a singular appearance when expanded in the attitude of fljing. The small striped squirrel has this remarkable difference, that it will descend the tree iu the presence of the sportsman, if only the tree be struck a smart blow with an axe or any other heavy weapon. Therefore, from the above remarks, it will be readily understood that to ensure an abundance of sport in squirrel shooting, two indi- viduals should always be in company ; thereby each side of the trees can be watched at one and the same time, as one person probably would not shoot more than half a dozen during a day, while two persons would perhaps shoot nearly as maay half dozens ; particularly in certain seasons when the woods are nearly alive with their superabundance. In shooting the wild fowls of the forest, such as tur- keys, partridges, and pigeons, there is no dispensing with the dog, who will start them into the trees, and will afterwards set them so accurately as to draw the attention of the sportsman to the exact tree, who will find no difficulty in approaching and shooting them. As to shooting flying, no such thing can be practiced in the forest, with the least chance of success. Grouse, snipe, and woodcock shooting, in its method, is similar to the like sport in England ; v,s these birds are only to be found in cultivated patches, and are most com- monly easily approached ; the snipes too are particularly abundan snipe. Hunti sake of on becoi inmates portance But sucl have no lliey lia\ and evei such epi i 145 abundant, and considerably larger than the English snipe. Hunting in the forest was formerly pursued for the sake of the valuable fur of the wild quadrupeds ; but on becoming settled the destruction of the dangerous inmates of the forest became a matter of first rate im- portance, because of the injury done to the farmers. But such is the force of example, that the older settlers have now nearly banished all prejudice as to diet ; for Ihey have taken to eating of bears, racoons, squirrels, and even rattle snakes ; and bull frogs are spoken of by such epicures, as very delicious. 1 1 is ■ WILD ANIMALS. The most important of the wild quadrupeds of the American forest, both for beauty and usefulness are the deer, of which there are to be found several varieties. The red deer, or common roe, is the most frequent throughout the whole of this western world. It is of a reddish brown colour, and of about three feet in height. The fallow deer, which is likewise common in particular districts, is of a brownish bay colour, and whitish be- neath the body, and generally found in herds, according to the general habit of the animal. The mouse deer, or elk, according to observers, don't associate ; and are only found in remote parts of the forest, where they can roam undisturbed ; this native of the Canada woods is the largest of the deer genus, for when full grown it has been seen as tall as the horse ; they have remarkably large heads and short thick necks, with horns of immense size, and spreading into a hand like form. Their chief food is the browse and small boughs of trees, and pro- bably moss during hard weather. This species of the deer, with the other varieties of the foi said to I them by Canadian the rifle And ever wanton n quadrupe eating, b balance t settler, ft and notl the soliti of a sta< and snaki swiftness, these fori of man ; ever saw Amon^ several l plentiful and like i the wand and dest but when fierce an and even whole fie '-—j'^—"*— «■»»»»■ iiiiaHii 147 of the forest, is seldom caught ; they can scarcely be said to be huuted, for it would be impossible to take them by any number of hounds in those unknown Canadian wilds : therefore if destroyed it must be by the rifle and ball, or common gun with strong shot. And every one resident in the country, must regret the wanton manner in which those inoffensive and beautiful quadrupeds are destroyed. They certainly are delicious eating, but the expense and labour more than counter- balance the profit, so much boasted of by the indolent settler, for no other ever attempt this kind of hunting ; and nothing in the forest so adorns and animates the solitude of the scene, as the accidental starting of a stag, which will bound across the clearances and snake fences into another retreat with astonishing swiftness. The buffalo is a noble native animal of these forests, and have retired from the habitations of man ; as I never met a settler in the woods that ever saw one. Amongst the ferocious animals of the forest, are several kinds of bears. The black bear is the most pleiitiful in the Canada forests, they are of large size and like all similar animals, they are very dangerous to the wanderer, whom they have been known to attack and destroy. They chiefly subsist on grain and roots, but when sorely oppressed by hunger they become very tierce and destructive to the settlers' poultry; hogs and even cattle have been torn and killed by them, and whole fields of erain have been nearly destroyed by ^^•* - I ' I •a .■>>■. I these animals rolling and treading it to the ground, to the ruin of the farmer. The puma, or tiger of the Canadian forest, is the most dangerous of the wild beasts, but fortunately they arc for the most part only found in the remote woodland regions. They have some considerable resemblance to the Indian tiger, though of far inferior beauty and size ; but nearly of equal ferocity ; yet they have been often tamed when taken young. The wolf is a very savage animal, and in the forests they are very numerous, from which cause alone they become most dangerous and destructive. There is no doubt but they are the most abundant of the wild beasts in both the provinces ; for it is no uncom- mon occurrence to hear during the night in the far back settled parts of the forest, an innumerable pack of wolves howling and chasing down the deer ; and when oppressed with hunger, they will roam around the lonely sited Bhantce, destroying almost every living creature abort the homestead, pigs and sheep by flocks, and indis- criminately. The provincial Government, knowing well the injury committed by those ravenous animals, have offered a reward of five dollars per head, for every wolf caught in the upper province ; and ten dollars per head are given by that of the lower province. Whereby the progressive destruction of the wolves will be much ex- pedited. However the policy of this wide difference in the reward of the two provinces is rather questionable. The foxes are ycry common mmates of the forest, 149 and, as is mentioned under the description of hunting, are of different kinds, but many of ^them similar to the common red English fox, excepting being somewhat more tei^ ering in the formation of the body. The black kind are remarkably sleek> The silver grey fox is the most elegant of the whole tribe, from their delicate appearance, being much less than the common English fox. The racoon is an animal well known, and an in- habitant of the marshy part of the forest, they are very plentiful and of course often found when hunting in these morasses ; their appearance is a sharp pointed nose, with a whitish face ; are otherwise of a brown colour, a very stout body, a shortish bushy tail, and short legs ; they are eaten with avidity by many, and are praised as delicious. The beavers and otters are like- wise inhabitants of the swamps and lakes, being the most sagacious of animals, and scarcely ever seen by the settlers near their locations, as they are always on the retreat towards distant and solitary regions ; and it is believed they are becoming very scarce in the nearer parts of the colony. The otter is more plentiful, and in some favourable situations, such as the neighbourhood of remote rivers and lakes, they still are usually found. The pole cats of the colony are of great variety, and some of them much resemble the common domesticated cat, although like other wild animals they are much more slenderly built ; for most assuredly domesticating any wild animal will cause it to be more bulky as well ill f III '11 150 as liarmless. The skunk is the most disagreeable and nauseous of the. wild animals in the colony, and is of the martin species. Such is their intolerable stench, that every experienced person will cautiously avoid them. The ground hog is a most singular quadruped of round- ish stout body, and much resembling the rabbit ; for they live in burrows in the earth, and particularly they are fond of burrowing under a large tree stump ; they are readily caught when found at a distance from their burrows, as they are remarkably slow paced. The porcupines of Canada are likewise in variety ; some are extraordinarily large, and very readily found in almost all parts of the forest where they can live un- molested. They are quite harmless, according to the most popular opinion ; for the tale of their shooting their quills in self-defence when attacked by an enemy is altogether false. I witnessed an extraordinary large one attacked and killed by a dog, with great difficulty ; and 1 observed attentively that there was on that occasion uo appearance of the animal having power to throw out a quill as a projectile at an enemy ; although it is right to observe the dog died the day following, from the injurious effects of the piercing ({uills on his mouth. < )f the rat tribe found in the forest, the musk rat is almost the only native, they are found in great numbers on the borders of lakes and rivers. They are larger than the common rat, and of a dark brown colour ; and have a very strong smell of the well known perfume musk ; which circumstance primarily named them. 'J'hey «S!«S 151 build Beat and curious liouses near the Water edge so that they can unohserycd dive into the water. Ihe other liind of rat, so mischievous and destructive to the farmers in England, is a sort of vermin totally unknown in the provinces till of late ; however, by emigration they have arrived, and have taken firm possession-of the wilds as settlers, to the no little chagrin of the mhabi- tants. There is no doubt but they have been brought iato the interior of the country by the steamers, amongst the merchandise from the lower ports; and it is gene- •rally believed that these miscliievous settlers ma.ke an advance of about ten miles per year further inland iuto the settled surrounding country. I bave mider the head of sporting made some remarks „„ tbe squirrel. I shall therefore be brief m this place on that subject. Squirrels, I have shewn, are of great vivriety, and arc found often nearly of the sue of an or- dinary cat. They are the most numerous of the quad- rupeds in the forest, and very annoying and destructive to the American farmer: for they migrate and will appear occasionally in incredible droves, and often be- siege the cultivated parts of the colon;' on theu route ,0 the total destruction of nearly thewhou .rop, although well attended to by boys with fire arms. It is most re- markable that the different coloured species always ^ their tarn associate m migrating, for they predominate in their season. Immense herds of them will perhaps be seen for a few successive years, and in the following yearsscarcely one canbe found during a day'srange m the m^ I ' < 152 woods, which was the fact this year (1835). However it is not always the case ; but to give a description of the numbers which are occasionally seen in some districts would be almost as tedious as describing a flock of wild pigeons, myriads of which inhabit the forest wilds. When squirrels are on travel, they have been seen to swim across the lakes and rivers in battalions ; some launching fearlessly into the water, others preferrmg to pass on a piece of bark or wood, and thereby floating themselves over by the means of their tails as a rudder. It is amusing to observe these little animals cramming their cheeks with grain, while providing themselves with a winter store, for the length of the winter demands a good quantity ; although they eat but a little, and ut long intervals, during the winter. This I state from obsen^ation; for circumstances being favourable, I caught a small striped squirrel whilst in Canada, which I took the trouble of bringing over to England, and it is at this moment (January) lying in a state of somno- lence, curled up like a ball, and can be handled with freedom while in this nearly lifeless state ; and as I have already stated, it eats but little every few days, and immediately reforms itself into its usual position.' REPTILES. Canada fortunately is nearly free from all re. ly dangeroiis reptiles, the most dangerous is tlie rattle- snake, and it is only to be found in the western parts of the province, and in the neighbourhood of Jvmgra. 1 has a broad flat head, with prominent bright eyes .md ie of a dark brown colour, and has often been kUled above seven feet long. The name is given from the clattering noise which they make in anger with the bony rings of their tails; their bite is dangerous and often fatal ; however it is not always so, if proper appli- cations be timely applied, according to the advice oi the experiencd inhabitants of these particular districts of the province. It is well known that the rattle-snake will never attack, if unmolested ; although they will not retire, but wUl remam in their coil and watch the approach of an enemy. Certain district, of the United States abound with dangerous reptiles, which will pro- voke an attack, and whose bite is certain death, as the chaser and copper-headed snakes. The handsome etripcd garter snake m ciuite harmless, as is the dis- O o ' \] 154 h agreeable looking water-snake, so common in the rivers of the western parts of the provinces. These last are of large size, and of a black colour, and are frequent / dragged out of the water by the fisherman's hook. The green snake, of all the reptiles of Canada, has no equal for beauty, being of the most perfect pea green coloui, which makes it a difficult task to find one in a grass field, the only place of their resort. When moving they are readily observed, they are when full grown about fifteen inches long, and of a slender and beauti- fully tapering form, with a remarkably small head, and keen prominent eyes ; are perfectly innocent, and pecu- liar to the Canadian provinces. The Turtle.— These amphibious animals are to be seen crawling about in the provmces in every district, and very common ; they are coated with an impenetrable shell, so much so that a loaded waggon may be driven over them with unpunity. They are of several species and sizes ; some are of extraordinarily large size, and are remarkably slow in their movements, havin^r a heavy unsightly appearance. In fine weather they are often seen congregated on the borders of the lakes, on a small prominence, from which they leap into the water the instant they are disturbed. Another interesting animal of the amphibious kind is the lorge bull frog, which is the most singular of this class of animal'^, for no stranger can never mistake the bull frog, after o^' ^Q having heard its tremendous bellow. It may be heard nightly in favom'able situations, particularly in the siMwwwaes 155 lower province, croaking most awfully, resembling very mucli tlie bellowing of tbe enraged bull, from whence ita name. The immense size of these frogs in the lower province, where they appear to thrive best, is almost incredible ; and, if I am not misinformed, they have been caught of nearly twenty inches in length, and are I very voracious, having been seen to swallow young ducks and geese with the greatest facility. The French Canadians eat them readily, and count them a choice dish. There are several other varieties of the frog on this continent; particularly the tree frog, which, as its name implien, lives generally on trees. The Butterfly.— The insects of these colonies are numerous and beautiful, particularly the butterflies, which are without exception of a most extraordinary size and splendour. The great variety and the diver- Bified colours of these insects, give them an interesting appearance to the stranger ; for there is no comparison between the beauty of the butterflies of Canada, and those of England. The musquitoe is an insect which has been heard of by every reader of an American letter, because every visitor to this colony will soon .have very sensible evi- dence of their violence, and they may be said to be the new settlers' tormentors ; for they certainly are the most annoying of the insect tribe on the whole contment of America. It is merely a two-winged gnat, very like the European. Fortunately they are almost unknown in the we^' cleared agricultural districts, and the high and dry woodlands have but a few comparatively speaking". But the traveller in the lower swampy parts of the forest, will in general suffer his share of torment from them, for they bite with an intolerable acute pain, and their bite leaves a blister. The settlers in the neighbour- hood of these swamps and forests where musquitoes swarm by myriads, are compelled nightly to make a smoky fire in the centre of the house in the evening, before they dare retire to rest. After they have ex- pelled them by smoke, the door is closed, and several similar smoky fires are made around the house, to prevent them again attempting an entrance, otherwise they would be no possibility of sleeping. It is a singular fact that rattle are often attacked by myriads of these musquitoes, to rid them of which the farmer is necessi- tated to smoke them, and by repeated trials, the cattle become so familiar with the comforts of this release from their cruel tormentors, that they voluntarily come to be smoked ; and show signs of thankfulness for the operation. The Feathered Tribe. — The provinces have this singular exception, that in reality a sweet songster is scarcely known throughout the colony; such is the fact in the whole of this western continent, It is also remark- able how few birds are to be seen flirtmg in the air, for scarcely a bird of any description is to be seen, excepting on the borders of the woods, or neighbourhood of a river or lake. The variety of birds observable is far from being great in the colony ; although some have the most Tjeautiful plumage. The indisturbed tracts of forest, it might be cover to been aliv< for the de often unb: the wood} distance ( birds of tl forest in £ for the E of the fo] they bea although Thech tribe, is t a mongrel birds in j size of a sn is a very swamps, generally a quail i: tridge in plover is latter pari seen in in during tl] woodcock and are ft ^'^'tobbHS^wSBRC" 157 miglit be supposed, would have afforded such extensive cover to the feathered tribes, that the air would have been alive with them ; however it is exactly the reverse, for the death like sileuce of the wilderness would remain often unbroken were it not for the occasional tapping of the woodpecker, which can be heard at an incredible distance on a favourable day. The comparatively few birds of this class in the colony, are rarely found in the forest in any considerable numbers ; their haunts being for the most part the cultivated districts and skirts of the forest. By an extraordinary stretch of fancy, they bear the name of similar birds in England, although very different in habits and plumage. The chief of the birds that may be called the game tribe, is the pheasant or partridge, which is a bird of a mongrel appearance, resembling both these English birds in plumage and habits some little ; being of the size of a small hen pheasant, with a fine spotted breast, and is a very stupid bird ; frequenting low bushes adjoining swamps, and is readily approached and shot. They generally associate in small coveys. The bird called a quail in Canada, resembles much the British par- tridge in habits and plumage. The black and grey plover is vastly plentiful in this region, towards the latter part of the year, when they associate and may be seen in immense flocks like clouds in the air. However during the summer, scarcely one is to be seen. The woodcocks here are smaller than the British v*'oodcocks, and are found in their haunts all the year. The snipes if ".llf- |,(l! 158 of tliese forests are similar to tlic British suipe, except- ing being considerably larger and much more abundant. Throughout the whole known parts of the provinces, they are to be found in the low grounds, and near stag- nant waters, in indescribable flocks, and are easily approached. Millions of wild pigeons, of the small blue nX'k kind, are seen to arise in flocks, which for miles m extent darken the air, and in fact beggar all description ; as a true account never would be believed. These droves of pigeons are only seen when migratmg in search of food, into the distant regions of the forest. In shooting in the forest a few straggling pigeons may occasionally be found, and like the general genus of the feathered tribe in this western world, they are very stupid and easily approached. The turkey is a native of these provinces, and in its wild state is one of the noblest birds of the forest, being often known to weigh above thirty pounds in the western parts of the pro- vhices where they abound. ■ They have been found to have emigrated lower down into the settled north eastern parts of the colony, but they are not generally found in those districts. In plumage and habits they much resemble the domestic turkey of Europe, and are very shy for the most part, and not readily approached. Their chief food consists of wild fruits and gram ; they are mostly seen in flocks, and are of the most delicious flavour. The woodpeckers of this continent are not extraordinarily numerous as might be expected ; however they are of great varietN of pluma; some of t part of th to be see districts. woodpecli plumage, coloured of the wi] colour, il In habits woodpecl unfreque to resouE which is the smal and t'he_ flowers in flowe very lar< fine san( flowers. As to th With blackbir be made the sam( inferior. and is : HiiSftiajSSBf^'^^fls**^ "'■^"*f¥ '* — ^ 159 of plumage, and thej vary considerably in habits ; for some of them can never be found but in the remotest part of the solitary forest, while the other kinds are only to be seen in or about the best settled and cultivated districts. The most elegant of this species is the black woodpecker, which is a bird of extremely brilliant plumage, the head being covered with splendid crimson coloured feathers, its body is black, and the under part of the wings covered with feathers of the richest golden colour, it is the largest of the Canadian woodpeckers. In habits it is a solitary bird, similar to the dark speckled woodpecker, being scarcely ever seen but in the most unfrequented parts of the wilderness, which are made to resound its shrill and powerful note and tapping, which is loud beyond conception. The humming bird is the smallest bird found in Canada, ;if not in the world, and t^hcy are of great variety. They frequent the flowers of the garden, particularly beans and peas when in flower ; I brought one to Europe no larger than a very large bee, which was shot with a gun loaded with fine sand, while it was incessently buzzing about the flowers, for they scarcely ever alight on their flower. As to their plumage it is very indifferent. With regard to the kingfisher, redbreast, goldfinch, blackbird, and several others, there is no comparison to be made between these in America, and those which have the same appellation in Europe, for their plumage is very inferior. The fire bird is of a beautitul red plumage, and is a very showy interesting small bird ; but the I r 160 most curious and amusing small bird of the forest, is one called whip-poor-will. It is really astonishing how with its plaintive note it imitates these words, from which it derives its name. In the retired parts of the back woods, where the habitation of man is nearly unseen, is to be heard the nightingale warbling forth its noctur- nal song, although it is considered by competent judges, to be much inferior to the Eurepean nightingale in its plaintive melody. The hawks which inhabit these forests of Canada, are similar to the European hawks, with the exception of the night and fishing hawks. The night hawk is a smgular bird, which will be observed nightly darting through tho air with astonishing swiftness, catching the flies on which it preys ; the beautiful glittering fire flies, which are to be seen by thousands flirting about in the air every night with a brilliancy of countless stars, is a conspi- cuous prey for the hawk. The fishing hawk is a smaller kind or species of hawk, and as it preys on fish, of course it will be found with the heron, for the most part in the neighbourhood of the rivers and lakes. There is another kind of hawk, which exceed most of the others in size, and is very injurious to the settler, by its de- structive invasions of his poultry yard ; this is called the hen hawk. It is singular that the rook is not to be found on this continent, they have been transported across the Atlan- tic from England more than once by the ingenious, «rlm /lollorlitPfl to watp.h their exertions while building their nest keenness to be see The crow and vora colour, si on the lol such a w^ approacL found in Europe a in size, poultry ; or younj noise of is really scene ol loudly ei distance The 1 is the eai consider varieties imd it is tent to f sized p require( seen bu frequen I ' ;i^'ESS^i^-i;::'..^v-r3B«sww mam 161 tlieir nested colony ; however they did not survive the keenness of the winter. Wherefore a rookery is not yet to be seen ; what further attempts may do, I know not. The crow is common enough, as is the raven ; this fierce and voracious bird, is precisely the European raven in colour, size, and habits ; and will often be seen perching on the loftiest trees, croaking most vociferously, and with such a watchful keen eye, that it is nearly impossible to approach within reach of a ball from a rifle. The owls found in this colony, are considerably larger than the European owl ; as the horned owl will equal the turkey in size, and is tJso very destructive to the farmers' poultry ; nay, they have been seen to fly off with a lamb or young pig when urged by hunger. The screechmg noise of these large owls in the silent forest every night is really alarming, and heightens no little the melancholy scene of the lonely settler, for it is so tremendously loudly echoed as to be heard to a very considerable distance. The last bird of which I shall give a succinct account, is the eagle, the king of the Canadian forests, as it exceeds considerably the size of the turkey ; there are several varieties, but the bald headed eagle is the most common, and it is of an extraordinary size and strength, compe- tent to fly off with every kind of poultry, and a moderate sized pig or sheep would not over load him when required to satiate hunger. They are seldom to be seen but in the most retired regions of the wilderness, frequenting the highest and most barren mountains, and i^ I 1()2 ai'P with the greatest difficiiUy approached. Therefore few are ever destro} ed, although some that have beeu caue measured above twelve feet from the tip of one wing to the tip of the other, and of a proportion- able hcis[ht and strens^th I t! fore eeu tip 011- LOG-HOUSE, OR SHANTEE -3B&-. Immediately after purcliasing land wliicli is wild and uncultivated, the new settler will be compelled through necessity to search out a proper site for his homestead, and commence buildiug without loss of time. As it generally happens that new settlers do not arrive early enough to gain advantage of the whole summer, there- fore, as I have abeady said, there is no time to be lost in preparing shelter for the winter. These log-houses are built in the following manner viz :— after a sufficient number of logs have been collected on the spot mtended for the building of the house, they are notched at each end, in rough imitation of dove-tailing. After the huge logs are thus prepared, a ' Bee' is called ; that is an invitation is sent around to solicit tlie attendance of the neighbours to assist in raisuig the unwieldy logs into their proper situations. Each log is alternately piled one over the other, first on the] sides, then the ends of the building. The door-way and windows are often chopped out after the walls are completed. The coverings of these truly rustic shantees, commonly consist of rough half-logs p2 .1* * J ICA chopped rather hollow, and are called scoops; or rough slabs are sometimes used, and not unfrequently bark has been applied to the same purpose. The interstices between the logs are well stuffed wi. moss, or some similar soft materials ; and afterwards to make a linish of the whole, the moss is well plastered over with mud or clay ; thereby making the shantee as warm and as comfortable as the nature of the materials will allow. However, to further beautify and complete the exterior of the building, an empty flour barrel is commonly erected to serve the purpose of the chimney top. For it some- times happens thut the settler is either so ignorant of the art of building, or so indolent in the erection of his shantee, that he will content himself and live for years in one so imperfectly built as to have neither window or chimney : hence a tolerable aperture is left in the roof to allow the smoke to escape, and the internal operations of the house arc performed alternately by the admission of light through, the open door during the day, and by the blazing wood lire in the evening. Su ji is the fact, that settlers have been known to live in thi,^ coarse manner for more than twenty years ; ;u.id at the same time had capital to spare to build more rrspc^^table and hospitable mansions. TJiese hovals are the };n- mary habitations of man, on becoming a settler iu the wild woods of America ; and when it is taken into c . •• sideration, that tho axe is often the only instrument used in the erection of them, there will be great allow- ance made for their apparent inhospitable aspect. Thn^ w W5 it is evident the emigrant who locates liimself in these forest wilds, will have to encounter great and innu- merable difficulties, compared to his more fortunate countr^Tnen, who are more advantageously settled in more inhabited districts. Hence it often happens that enterprizing settlers, who have taken up their abode on the onset in the forest or bush, as it is familiarly termed in America, have been compelled to make .their exit after years of toil and vexatious difficulties, leaving all their cleared land to resume its original wildness, and the log shantee to fall into ruins. Some may think this strange, considering the lowness of the price of land in such sitaations ; such, however, is the fact, for such miserable hovels will be often found by the traveller in the back woods, which had once been the residence of some ruined settler. To the fact, I knew of several cases in illustration, but will allude to one in particular of a Lincolnshire emigrant, a farmer of small means, of sober and industrious habits, and a very intelligent agriculturalist, w' o emigrated to Upr>er Canada some few >ears s^'. . with a large family. — Immediately on arriving he purchased the nsual quan- tity of wild forest land, viz. two hundred acres, at five shillmgs per aero. Tne nouey to be paid by five yearly instalments, Vv'itli interest at the rate of six per cent. After building his slian' . * and st tiling other preliminary matters, he sef to - 'ork ; laid being a stout healthful fellow, he coiitendo<'' nobly and daily with his axe against the Canadiai- .brest ; und with a little assis't* p3 .'^ '■ anee irom his neighbours, he logged and burnt a good tract of his own land, and planted it by his own exer- tions and those of his family. This conduct was steadily followed for years by the whole family ; still he was not competent to meet his annual payments. However he struggled again and again for some time longer • till overborne with increased payments, which at last proved a barrier to his further proceeding with his farm, which he reluctantly quitted in more poverty than when he began with it in the wilds. The recon- version of land and implements into ready money IS a great sacrifice, and if , ed of by public auction', It must be a credit sale, ^ y are familiarly termed, which IS, a note is given on a common piece of paper, (stamps not known to the laws of Canada,) promising t(i pay in four months : otherwise, without this much- abused accommodation, it would be scarcely ever pos- sible to raise a sale on any terms ibr ready money. Every fanner or now settler in the back woods ought to have as much capital as will maintain himself a^nd establishment for a lew years ; ibr the Ikrm will requh-e all its produce to be expended on it in improvr.neT,L and in the purcbase of stock, waggons, and all the or Ler really necessary iarmiiig utensils, Ibr at least the first seven years. Thus it is evident, had not this unfortunate settlor above mentioned exi ended all his little capital ui Lhcj^iirchase of too much land, leaving nothhig for immediuii; uud necessary expenditure, the result Jould iuwe boon diilbrout. As it wu., all the produce, wliich t ^^^ ^""^^^ fc '^<rdiuar}' kinds are not to be found in the markets before .July. There is one particular article grown in the province, which so far surpasses the same plant in England, that it is scarcely like it. I mean the common onion, for they grow to a most cxtraordhiary size. Suck a thing as a small onion can scarcely be found ; and like the mdon and cucumber, they are scarcely ever known to fail, although the seed is merely carelessly sown in a corner of a field on a loose virgin soil. After these preliminary operations arc gone through, the whole attention will be required for the clearing of the forest land, a business the most arduous and ex- pensive which the forest settler has to engage in. To shew the wanton and heedless destruction of tim^-r on «licrht occasions, and the manner in which trivial wants are supplied, I had occasion for a stock of beech nuts for a small squirrel, and iiaving accidentally spoken about it to a friend, he immediately ordered a beautiful tree which stood near the house to be felled ; the axe was applied vigorously, and soon fell a noble beech tree loaded with nuts. Which tree in England would have been much respected on account of its extraordinary size and beauty. However, there was no alternative, if the nuts were to be had ; for climbing such a huge tree was not to be attempted. ^Ei' IMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) :/j 1.0 IM 2.2 I.I - lis ilio 1.8 1.25 1.4 III 1.6 .« 6" ► llUtU^lciplliLi Sciences Corporation 33 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, N.Y. 14580 (7)6) 872 4503 d^ V ,-\ %v % V ^^? T\^ ;\ ^ W.r V tk ; . \ \ CLEARING OF FOREST LAND. Under the head of clearing land, come the combined operations of uuder-brashing, chopping, and burning, which are performed at nearly all times of the year. The trees are always cut down in the most easy and convenient manner by the woodman, who always leaves a stump of the tree of from twenty to thirty inches in height from the ground. Hence with theii* irregular sizie and order in standing, a field of stumps- after a few years being weather beaten, has very much the appear- ance of a country church-yard at a distance, when the liead stones are tolerably numerous and of a variety of dimensions. The rapidity and precision of the move- ments of the axe, in the hands of an able and expert i chopper, is really astonishing; who will fell the noblest tree in an incredibly short space of time. The axes which they use are certainly well adapted for the purpose, havmg a fine wedge shape, and nearly all steel of the finest quality ; having the keenest imaginable edge ; md a hickory handle so appropriately curved as to gi\e the greatest possible weight to the stroke. r 175 The process of clearing commeuces as follows : the imderbrush is first cleared away, which is a light work, for the quantity of brushwood growing in the primeval forest is very trifling "n general. The most dense parts of the forest may be truly asserted to be free from underwood ; however what little there may be found is collected into heaps, after which the chopping business commences. It is surprising how much time and expense are saved by the fully experienced woodman, who thoroughly understands the wielding of his axe, and the equally valuable knowledge of foiling his trees to the greatest advantage ; a work which is ill performed and understood by the uninitiated woodman. For instance, the experienced chopper will cut a perpendi- cular tree so ingeniously, that it will foil probably across one already laid, and break itself into several pieces. For the trees are of such extraordinary weighty dimen- sions, that they fall with a most tremendous crash, and by such management as this, the piecemeal chopping is much diminished. Every tree is cut into certain lengths, for the oxen to draw it to the log heap to be burned, these are generally of about ten or fifteen feet, according to the growth of the timber, for if in too large pieces, the oxen will be unable to draw them, and this work is generally done by a contractor, who will attentively consider his oxen. After the trees have been felled, they arc immediately deprived of their tops and boughs, which are thrown to the underbrush, to be burnt together : and if the weather be tolerably dry it Q2 if I iM » will bo ready to set on lire in probably three weeks or a month, however this rests entirely on the weather. And now that the underbrush and boughs have been burnt, the logging business commences as follows : the trees having been cut into proper lengths, as already stated, they are dragged as near together as possible by oxen, and are then piled into heaps of about twenty logs each, which are laid parallel one above the other, and then set fire to. This part of forest farming is down- right slavery, for without exaggeration it is the most laborious and disagreeable work in Canadian husbandrx-, lor It must be done in dry wearher, and most probably under a scorching sun, when the least spark will suffice in most cases to set fire to any extent of fallen forest when sufficiently dry ; and the astonishing rapidity with which it spreads accords well with the proverb, " spreads like wild fire." It is an imposing sight to see a large tract of logs and brushwood on fire ; the men, sweep-like, with each a handspike in his hand ; will be seen dancing around and amidst the numerous fires, each of which are throwing off imrnense sheets of flame that consumes every thing within its reach, and to ensure a good burn, as it is familiarly termed, the men in attendance must be very expert hi replacing on the fire with their handspikes the half burnt logs which occasi- onally keep rolling off. This burning is a work of several days ; the men remaining night and day in the iield, till its completion ; sleeping in a temporary hovel, erected in the field for the occasion. The most sublime 177 spectacle of fire I ever witnessed, was the setting fire to the forest while the trees remained standing. I remember accidentia being a witness to such a scene, where the fire raged amongst the forest trees with fury, and mounted up to the top of the noblest pines (of above two hundred feet in height) with the quickness of a rocket, and blazed its whole length with inconceivable splendour, from the exuding of the turpentine, whicli continued a considerable time ; this, as might be imagined, was in the dusk of the evening, a scene of indescribable grandeur. The regular charge for underbrushing and chopping by contract per acre, is eight and a half dollars, or one pound sixteen shillings and ten pence sterling ; and for underbrushing, chopping, logging, bummg, and fencing per acre twelve dollars, or two pounds twelve shillings sterling. Supposing the forest to be dense, and the trees stronger than ordinary, the price per acre will then be fifteen dollars, or three pounds five shillings sterling. Another plan of killing the trees is termed girdling, and is simply cutting out with the axe a circular piece of bark of about four inches broad around the tree, and about three feet from the ground ; this operation in^ fallibly kills the trees. The half-chopping is somewhat similar : in this case the tree is half cut through at the usual height of chop- ping, and left to fall at some future but uncertain period. This practice of girdluig and half-chopping is chiefly practiced in districts where the forest trees are thinly set, q3 ■■( ) it m 178 as it is singularly true tliat the primeval forest trees staud so regular and so far apart in certain districts of tlie provinces, that a careless observer could scarcely believe any other that they had actually been planted by manual operation, they so much resemble a park or pleasure ground. For the trees are not only widely apart, but they are low and bushy, similar to the hedge row trees in England. x\fter the trees are thus killed by these latter methods, they are allowed to stand and remain unsightly relics of the splendid forest. The land is now scratched over with the harrows, and seed thrown on and again harrowed, and very often the result is a productive crop. However this latter plan of destroying the forest is very perilous, for these dead trees are alway? a tower of danger, and innumer- able arc the cattle which have been killed by the boughs and tops blowing down upon them ; and not unfrcquently the whole trunk foils on several horses, and kills or maims the whole group. And more melancholy events than the above have occurred from the falling of these dead and half decayed standing forest trees on inhabited dwelliuov, durincT one of those whirlwinds or sudden stonns which occasionally sweep over this continent with such direful effects. Every farmer in Canada is not the proprietor of the farm on which he resides ; although by far the greater part of them arc. Nevertheless farms may be had to rent at about one dollar per acre, for the cleared land. The forest part being deemed a privilege for the stray of the liogs and cattle, and to furnish fuel for the household;, .^^ JUMP XI 9 Rud likewise wood for fencing and other purposes. There is another plan of taking a farm to advantage to the poor and newly arrived settler, which is by shares, - as it is termed, and is as follows. The proprietor stocks the farm with cattle, all necessary farming implements, and seed for the first year ; the tenant or new settler finding every necessary labour, and receiving half the produce of the farm, com and cattle. And on his quitting, the original stock and utensils will be left, being still the property of the proprietor. The farm in America in appearance corresponds much with the mansion of the resident in point of irregularity and unsightliness. The rotation of crops is sufficiently well understood by the 'generality of the well informed settlers in Canada ; but unfortunately the plan is seldom practised by any party, whether an old or new settler. It is truly remarkable, how soon the newly-arrived emigrant from the old country becomes contaminated, and imitates the bad practices and unprofitable habits and manners of the old settled Canadian farmers, who for the most part are as dirty and indolent a class of men as any in the world. Men who prior to their leav- ing England, prided themselves no little on their neat personal appearance, and the clean and orderly work about their homesteads, and who would have discharged any foreman who was not qualified to build a rick of corn according to the present improved plan of rick building. I say I have seen those farmers in America, after a residence of some half-dozen years, residing in If ! !j :f I, _^- 180 1 . r It i a tolerable house ; but every thing else about the es- tablishmeut irregular, and in the most confused state jmaguiable. The com ricks bemg ugly, shapeless looking masses. The out-houses arc also so disorderly in arrangement, and so wretchedly bad in repair, that a cursory observer would be led to suppose they must have suffered from a long siege. Moreover the cattle and hogs arc often allowed a free and uuheeded range in their destructive movements amongst the crops of the different kinds of grain throughout the whole domain. As to the proprietor's personal appearance, it has cor- respoudmgly changed, and is nearly indescribable, from its truly wild and foreign aspect. He may probably be found by a visitor wandering in the forest, or lounging under a rustic built piazza, in the front of his log or frame-house ; stripped to his shirt, and dressed in a pair of dirty canvas trousers, without shoes and stockings ; and wearing a straw hat of the coarsest manufacture, and of the most dirty and unsightly appearance. For the brims are commonly of such extraordinary dimen- sions, as to cover the head and shoulders effectually ; and the whole is ornamented with a broad riband appro- priately correspondmg by its filthy appearance, the ends hanging loosely down nearly to the shoulders. Others may be observed wearing inexpressibles, the costume of their fatherland, with shoes, but without stockings. These make an odd figure, but which is far surpassed by the costume of the equestrian, dressed in his short-knee'd inexpressibles, without either shoes or stockings, yet with 181 a pair ol'spurs strapped to his naked heels. Such h tho odd jippcaraucc of several of our contrymen, after a few years' residouce in the wilds of vVmerica ; and probably the freeholders of five or six hundred acres of rich land. v\nd the others, the remainuig inmates of the household, oithor strictly imitate the proprietor, or the proprietor imitates them ; for they arc certainly a family of corres- ponding' exterior, and they can scarcely be said to be one step superior in dress to the half starved, forlorn lookinjr, Irish labourers who flock to harvest hi to Ehigland. Thus an American I'armstead, with the whole of the household establishment, presents a scene of poverty and wretchedness in the midst of hitelligence and plenty. There arc numerous exceptions to this almost general rule, as I can bear witness ; indeed I saw a many old countrymen, now settled in the wilds of America, who were proud of their location in the forest ; having the comforts of a neat homestead and rich soil, and lacked nothing in respectability as regarded personal appear- ance ; holding at defiance the slothful example of their more indolent neighbours. The climate has certainly a share in causing such degrading changes in the habits and manners of the British emigrants ; as it is well re- marked that every animal, it matters not of what de- scription, soon shows signs of degeneration. Hence the horse and the most savage dog soon become tame, and e-'cn the game-cocks have not their wonted energy or the pride of conquest, after transportation to this conti- nent, that they had on their native soil. i i '■ it i -y^r 182 After this sliort digression on the habits of the American farmer, the further improvement of the land will again claim attention. When the brushwood and logs are all burnt, the land is commonly called cleared land, though very erroneously, for scarcely a iicld iu twenty, after the best burning, is left free from innumer- able half burnt logs of immense size, and which are allowed to remain until destroyed hy time. Few of the American farmers ever give their attention to the further improvement of a field, after once it has passed the routine of a good bum, as they term it. However, supposing all the logs to have been burnt, still the stumps are there standing erect, with a bold front, and occupying above one-third of the cleared ground, and are lasting memorials of their former luxuriance ; fOr the pine stump will remain for from thirty to fift} years, or evsn a lor ger period, as sound as on the first day the tree was severed from it. The oaks and elms, and all the other kinds of hard-wood stumps, generally give way at the root m about from five to seven years, and may then be either dragged up by oxen or be destroyed by fire easily. I have witnessed a farmer with a piece of charred wood on fire, carelessly rubbing it against some scores of these half rotten stumps, during a day in dry weather, when all the dead ones took fire readily, and burnt rapidly to the very root. But iu this stump- clearing business, like all others of improvement, the settlers show great want of exertion, for they allow them to remain as if afraid to remove these injurious reHcs of m 183 the original forest. I was repeatedly led to remark, while in North America, the great necessity of some portable machine to drag up the stumps of all dimensions, and which could be leadily worked by oxen; such a machine would be nearly as useful as the plough in the colony. There have been attempts at such machinery, but they have hitherto been imperfect. In clearing land, the industrious and practical settler makes every possible exertion to have the wood burnt off by August, thereby allowing sufficient time to prepare the land in the best possible manner for the winter wheat, which is generally sown in September or October at the latest. On the whole, wheat is the best and most ^^ofitable grain grown in the colony, for it fully equals best samples of wheat of English growth ; and the age quantity sown on fresh land seldom exceeds ^^_ bushel per acre ; on old tillage a larger quantity of seed is sown ; and what is a remarkable illustration of the richness of the virgin soil of the forest, such lands have had ten crops in succession ; and if I was not misinformed, instances are not rare of a plot of this original land having produced twenty successive crops of wheat, of an average produce, without having either the benefit of manure or being once fallowed, or even beiug effectually ploughed, an operation which at all times is badly performed in the field of stumps. At the best, the surface is merely scratched over, the seed just dropped into the earth, and afterwards harrowed with a triangular harrow, for the convenience of it m ft fi;?- if Jii. ' jm?* r 184 passing more freely amongst tli. stumps ; tlie harrow is often made wholly of wood, not excepting the teeth. It in surpr^ dng how the worst and most indolent c( mmon customs of American husbandry are often followed by such excelle.it crops ; however that ought never to be adduced as an argument in favour of a bad system of agriculture. It the winter chopping and burning can be complied by the early part of May, spring wheat may then be sown profitably, although the crop will be far inferior :o the winter sown wheat. However :. will average for the most part from two to three quarters per acre. The wheat sewn in British America is of all those varieties' generally sown in England, but tl- ^ common red and white kinds are the most cultivated, and are allowed to be the most certain and productive. In this colony there is not that certainty of productive crops there is in Europe, for when the seed is sown in the month of September, it grows luxuriantly ; and by the time of the first fell of snow it will be nearly the height of the knee, and is only to be effectually pro- tected by a fall of snow, which is almost a sure guarantee of an excellent crop: but if unfortunately a severe frost precedes the fall of snow, the wheat crop is then seriously injured, if not wholly destroyed, and assumes at least the appearance, on a large scale, of a field of wheat in England, which has suffered severely from the grub. The following practice is also adopted by the American farmer, so different from the habits of the British agri- culturalist. The American farmers, for the most part. _ harrow is tlie teeth. itc(»niinoii llowed by ,ever to be system of irning can ring wheat rop will be ever I. will ;e quarters ica is of ail d, but tl-^ cultivated, productive, productive . is sown in ;ly ; and by ! nearly the ctually pro- 'e guarantee severe frost ten seriously [nes at least of wheat in n the grub, he American British agri- .e most part, 185 take thc'r surplus wheat to mill, there to have it ground, dressed, and barrelled ready for the maiket ; and to en- sure correctness in quality and weight, the barrels are branded accordingly, and inspected by proper authori- ties prior to being disposed of for exportation; each bar".;! h ontaining fourteen stones weight. Wheat is generally sown broad-cast, although it might more appropriately be said to be thrown on. However, some will wonderfully excel their neighbours in management, and will have a portion oftheir's, at least, rowed into the ground by the plough on their land, which is thoroughly free from stumps. Drilling is not unknown in the colony, although it is scarcely evtr adopted by the most re- spectable settlers. Harrowing is also very carelessly passed over, and fortunately there is neither rook or hedge sparrow in the province to steal the seed off the land, and very few flocks of domestic pigeon, so injurious to the fresh sown wheat fields in England. In ^he cultivation of oats, in British America, there are often flattering appearances of success; there is, however, scarcely any kind of grain grown in the pro- vinces, which deceives its cultivator so much, for it is a grain which rapidly degenerates after repeated sowing throughout the colony, and is a very light and inferior article when compared to the English grown oats. The black oat is the most extensively cultivated, and on the whole it succeeds rather better than any other, and will average generally four or five quarters per acre. ft 1i I ? ! _ l K * J I hi 18G In tliu cultivation of barley, there is llic seme failure in quality that there is in the oat, after several years' resowing in the provinces, although the seed was < -n n- nally the finest that could be exported from England, Hence a sample of the best barley grown in these pro- vinces, shown to an English farmer residing in a liarley district, would be considered the worst sample imagin- able ; for its unnaturally rapid growth gives it light, shrivelled, and refuse appearance : from whence may be easily explained the difficulties of malting laid brewing from such inferior grain, and the corresponding inferi- ority of the ales of the colony. The average produce of a crop of barley may be stated, in round numbers, to be four quarters per acre, and it is the most hazardous of the white corn cultivated in the provinces ; and par- ticularly so if the barley field be inclined to be lowisli ground, where there is always an excess of moisture. Besides, the provinces beiug subject to severe frosty nights, towards the latter part of the simimer, the barley in such unfavourable situations suffers severely, ^riie frost there has a two-fold effect, and whole fields so situated will have the most promishig appearances to a distant observer, but on entering the field and examin- ing the cars, there will scarcely be a barley corn on an acre. 1 witnessed several fields of great extent so in- jured, that the [»ro})nelors never attempted the reaping of the ero]). Peas are familiiirly called Canada corn, from being 550 extensively cullivatcd in all parts of the settled pro- — ti 187 vUros Tlio wl.Uo re,., is tUo kind generally grown, aud it sr.,-,v. lu)c,rri.utl;,' ; «ud tlio kind termed the s,k- ^eete-pc, irom it. qniol: I-rodnetion, is t,s extensive y ,o,d sttccessMly cnlliv.tcd, nnd is greatly adunred. n the western purts ol'tlie province of Upper Canada the innneuso tr.cts of pea Held, arc surprising, not i^^oni the extent onlv, hut Irom the slovenly manner m winch this -rain is cultivated, 'i i.c proprietor will frcqttenlly not be at the trouhlo, as the term is, of reaping ; there- fore tlic whole herd ol hogs, which had been fecdn.g m the forest all the summer, is turned into the i[clns, whore it rarely comes to perfection, it is reaped for - -inter fodder, for which it answers exceedingly well ; but in favourable cituations and seasons, when it arrives at per- fection, it is very productive. The time of planting the seed is about the tenth of May, and the operation is performed as follows. A little hillock is raised with a hoe, each hillock distant from three to four feet apart, into each of those hillocks is to be dropt four grains of Indian corn ; and indolent cultivators give no more at- tention to the crop, till the time of reaping. While others, more industrious, are occasionally seen amongst ^ it with the hoe, nearly up to the time of reaping, which process is performed with a hook, similar to reaping beans in England. They are then bound into sheaves, and set over end to dry ; after which the ear of corn is piilled, and the grain beat off over some fixed hard sub- stance ; or the whole sheave is housed, for thrashing at H more favourable opportunity. This corn is greatly used in domestic economy over the whole western continent ; being often roasted in i^s unripe state and eaten ; in which state it is a common marketable commodity. The Indian meal pudding is also often boasted of, and with an intermixture of wheaten flour, bread and cakes are often made, and are likewise termed delicious. Its most common value, however, is for the I'cediiig of hogs, poultry, and other domestic animuls. r3 il ■>n ..•■ 11'! w 't 'i '%* W'^ u IHI 190 Anotuer product of the field, and of great importance in this part of the world, is the pumpkin ; and America may truly be called the laud of pumpkins. The im- mense quantities annually grown, is truly an amusing feature of American agriculture, v;hich attracts the gaze of the stranger during his autumnal travels. They are, for the most part, planted with the Indian com, thus pumpkin seeds are deposited on the side of every third or fourth hillock of the Indian corn; which is always highly favourable to the growth of the corn ; as the spread- ing foliage of the pumpkin shades the roots of the Indian corn from the scorching rays of a burning sun, thereby preventing the absorption of the necessary moisture. The crop of pumpkhis is never seen to advantage until the Indian corn is reaped, when they are observed to have a beautiful orange colour ; for the pumpkins are usually of an immense and sometimes of an incredible size, and are of importance in domestic economy ; for pumpkin pie is quite a national and daily dish on the American tables ; and is rapturously spoken of as being very delicious However, at the best it is very inferior to the apple, for such purposes. The chief use of pump- kins is for the feeding of hogs, for which purpose they are said to be famous ; and are often given to the other cattle, which eat them with avidity, and soon leed. The Potatoe. — Thia invaluable root grows with rapidity, and is very productive on this continent ; and when planted on a favourable spot of light sandy soil, they are tolerably good. Still it may be asserted safely, importance ad America 1. The im- an amusing ,cts the gaze They are, L com, thus every third h is always s the spread- 3f the Indian jun, thereby ry moisture, -^antage until observed to •umpkins are in incredible conomy ; for y dish on the 11 of as being very inferior Qse of pump- purpose they I to the other Don ieed. t grows with )ntinent ; and ht sandy soil, sserted safely, 191 that the American potatoe is very inferior in taste and flavour to the potatoes of England ; so much so, that British emigrants, who have an epicurean taste for potatoes, have scarcely ever eaten them half a dozen tunes during a residence of a series of years in the colony. It is, most probably, the richness of the soil which causes the flavour of the potatoe to be so strong and disagreeable, which defect will be removed in the progress of cultivation. The average crop is about six or seven hundred pecks per acre, and they are found of all varieties usually cukivated in the old coun- try : although the kidney ^.pecies of potatoe are rarely planted, from their known unpalatableness after being replanted a few years on this continent. The Turnip.— The farmers on the western side of the x\tlantic shew great indolence in the cultivation of turnips, and several other equally useful productions ; such for instance as rape, tares, hemp, hops, and tobacco. True, all these species of useful plants are occasionally raised, but seldom in any considerable quantity, which is greatly to be regretted ; for few are sufficiently enter- prising to set this laudable example to their neighbours. Such neglect, onthe part of the Canadian agriculturalists, is virtually a national loss ; for there can be no question as to the congenial state of the climate to foster such vegetable productions, because the present agricultural experiments, though confessedly imperfect and on the lowest possible scale, have already verified the fact. Small patches of tuinips I occasionally observed in the ^^■. f.mj^li -i 192 colony, all of vvliicli wore a most prosperous appear- ance, and promised an abmidaut crop. But this is no argument to the careless, although they are aware that their sheep throughout the provinces suffer much for want of these bulbous roots for winter fodder. The like is the fact in the sowing of grass seeds ; for it must be the interest of every new settler to provide grazing for his stock with the least delay ; and grasses of various kinds, when sown, vegetate rapidly. Whenever the red or whit*^ clover seed is sown it grows luxuriantly and with abundance ; the white clover is really natural to many parts of the Canadas, where it is seen growing spontaneously and in great abundance. The hay making season is in August, and is, like all the other operations of the American husbandman, passed over in the most careless and inattentive manner. There are light crops of grass which are short and wiry, generally comphiinod of in the colony; however it is otherwise, as has been already shown, with seed crops or clover, which are generally good, both as to quality and quantity. In favourable weather, the gene- ral practice is to lead the day following the mowing of the grass ; and if the crop be very light, it will sometimes be led on the same day on which it is mown. Thus haj making, in America, is a work of little moment, as re- gards labour or expense, since it is housed in one end of the barn, with the corn crop in the other end ; and it rarely happens but the barn is capable of containing the annual crops of hay and com of most settlers for a 193 series of yeara after their first location. The average crop of hay will be about one and a half ton per acre, and of clover about two tons. And it often happens that the remote settlers in the back woods experience a great scarcity of provender for their winter fold yard stock, and are therefore under the necessity of daily felling one or more trees, for the cattle to pasi are on the browse of the tops, of which the cattle are very fond, which is evident from the fact, that sometimes they rush to the point in the forest from whence they hear the axe or tree fall, which can be heard at a considerable distance during the calm but severe winter months. It is nearly superfluous to remark one great and unavoidable disadvantage which the Canadian agricul- turalists have to contend with, and which will be familiar to every reader who has the slightest knowledge of British America and its climate. It will be readily understood that there cannot be any winter tillage during the six winter mouths, because the ground will be covered with snow to a depth of several feet from November to May. Hence the intervening months, at least, will be unavailable for agricultural operations, and are generally spent, when the cold is not intolerable, in sleigh riding and carousing. About the month of May the industrious and active farmer will be on the alert for the coming season of ploughing, and will have little spare time. In the fields which are totally cleared of stumps, the British system of tillage is followed ; but, as has been I % Si (( iOl already remarked, on land NvUicli has been newly cleared, and of course thickly studded with Imge stumps, the plough is certainly introduced, and the hnid scratched over, and the seed dropped in. On land which hus^ been some years under cultivation, although lull oi stumps, the ploughing is somewhat better performed, and might not unappropriately be termed drag harrow- incr with the plough. The field has that rough cdotty appearance, which the operation of the drag harrow gives to the fallow Held hi England. In ploughing, oxen are put in re an n o Ditto with every additional pair 1 nn Every saw mill ^ s2 if I vil il m !,l 2(M) £. s, (L Every merchant's shop 200 Every store house 200 Every stud-horse 100 Every horse, of the ageofthreeyearsandupwards 8 Oxen, of the age of four years and upwards . . 4 Milch cows 3 00 Horned cattle, from tw^o to four years 10 Every close carriage, with four wheels, kept > i nn n n forpleasure ^ iUU U U Every open carriage or curricle, ditto 25 Every other carriage or gig, with two whouls, ^ on n a ditto ^ ^" " " Every waggon, kept for pleasure 15 Every stove, erected and used in a room where there is no fire place, is considered as a fire place. Noie. — The above species of property ia assessed or valued under aud by virtue of a provincial statute, passed some years since ; and the act of incorporation does not empower the city to vary the same ; but only to assess any sum not exceeding four pence in the pound upon such property ; of which one penny in the pound is to be paid into the funds of the treasurer for the home district, as part of the funds for the use of the country. For the purpose of carrying into effect the improve- ments of the city of Toronto, a rate of three pence in the pound was imposed for the year 1834, of which one penny in the pound goes to the district iund. Persons selling ale, beer, or cider, in the limits of the city, are to pay annually a tax of two pounds. Also the owner of every dog is to pay u tax of live shillings. 201 and every bitch of seven shillings and sixpence per annum. Thus it is evident that Upper Canada, at least, is not free of taxes, although no province or state on the con- tinent of North America pays less ; not exceptmg the boasted taxless United States. The general rate is about three halfpence per pound. Hence a farm of about one hundred acres cleared land, with every species of necessary stock, and a good dwelling-house, would pay about three dollars per year. The assess of wild land being only four shillings per acre, the annual tax of three halfpence per pound would be a mere trifle. And if the taxes on the forest or uncultivated lands be not paid for eight years in succession, the sheriff of the dis- trict must sell all lands in arrears annually, redeemable by the original owner paying all expenses and charges at any future period. And another pleasure which the Canadian settler can boast of, is their freedom from the encroachments of the exciseman, and their privilege of manufacturhtg any article of domestic economy. And above all, their being free from the rascally system of surchargnig, so loudly and justly complained of by their suffering fellow coun- trymen in England, This system indeed is a disgrace to any enlightened government, a system which sacriiices to individual benefit the rights and property of the public at large. After the foregoing brief statement of facts has been well considered, and the voyage surmounted, the emU s3 )< i M til I 202 grant will need some hints which cannot be too well attended to, to enable him the better to encounter the knavery of the unprincipled, after landing ; otherwise his interests may suffer irreparably. COMPARATIVE TABLES OF EMIGRATION. The number of emigrants which have arrived at the city of Quebec, for the last seven years, is as follows, according to the best mformation on the subject. Years. Emigrants, 1829 13,3;)? 1830 24,394 1831 49,250 Years. Emigrants. 1832 51,422 1833 22,062 1834 30,217 And the number, for the last year, (1835) which have arrived at this celebrated place of debarkation, is very few comparatively speaking, for they will not probably much exceed ten thousand, shewing an immense falling off in the patriots of emigration. The number which have proceeded up the river St. Lawrence, and arrived at the city of Montreal, lor the last four years, are as follow, from similar good authority. Years. Emigrants. 1832 28,01() 1833 0,f)34 Years. Emigrants. 1834 14,137 1835 3,93^ J »t be too well encounter the ig; otherwise GRATION. arrived at the is as follows, subject. Emigraiits. 51,422 22,062 30,217 5) which have ;ation, is very [ not probably nmense falling the river St. eal, lor the last id authority. Emigrants. 14,137 3,93^ 203 Here, again, is another example of the great decrease ia the number of emigrants which have passed up the country. True, the season of emigration was not over when this last account was taken ; however, the current of emigration had been so languid the whole year, that there is little, if any, increase to the above number thia season. , From the following statements some idea may be formed of the condition of a vast number of the poorer settlers, who attempt finding a home on this contmental forest Quarterly return of the pauper emigrants relieved and forwarded by the Montreal Emigrant Society, from the 2r)th of May to the 25th of August, 1835. Forwarded to Toronto . Prescott . By town C arlton -Granby — Lapraririe 11 750 64 7 6 25 To Kingstone. — Cornwall . — Grenville . 54 294 9 — Coteau-du-lac 8 — St. John's.. S Total. 1,213. The 5 numher of emigrants for whom work was^ ^gg procure d by the friends of this society . . • . b The number admitted to emigrant sheds, for ? ^207 temporary relief ^ Only one death has occurred in the sheds this season, Which was that of a child of two yeara old. % '\ ii I;! f'l M li ' LANDING. On nearing the western world, in this quarter, the towering heights of Newfoundland's romantic rocks will be observed, being the first land made by ships bound for British America. The appearance of these rocks give every thing but a hospitable invitation or en- couragement to the hopes of the emigrants ; however, after a few days spent in passing this scene of craggy rocks and barren land, the scene gradually improves, and the emigrant will soon be informed that the ship is now entering the mouth of the noble river St. Lawrence, one of the largest rivers in the world. Afterwards the quarantine station will be observed, and will cause some delay, more or less according to the healthful state of the crew and passengers, and their state of cleanliness on shipboard. For every article must be clean washed, at least, prior to leaving the quarantine island, no matter how clean, orderly, and healthful the whole company may appear. After weighing anchor and again making sail,, the island of Orleans will next engage the attention, and which is only four miles from Quebec. After passing III 20; this island, there will be a full auu icl^ view of tliis ancient and justly celebrated city, and the vessel will soon be anchored opposite to it. The time has now arrived when the emigrant has a wide field before him, which must infallibly call into action every latent energy both of body and mind, in taking care of his family and in protecthig his property ; presuming it is his intention to proceed up the river St. Lawrence into the interior of the country, probably so far as the neighbourhood of the city of Toronto, the capital of Upper Canada, a distance of more than six hundred miles from Quebec ; and to be candid with him, he will have to encounter numerous and unforeseen dif- ficulties. However, a man of decided resolution, and with an enterprising spirit, which fortunately is gene- rally the case with British emigrants, these temporary annoyances will be overcome, and only remembered as difficulties happily surmounted. The French Canadians employed as menials on either the canal or river routes between Quebec and Montreal, and Toronto, are far from benig the civilest in the world; and I have myself witnessed the most gross and rude behaviour to the poor, and of course the most needy and unprotected class of emigrants. Immediately on the ship anchoring opposite Quebec, the scene becomes animated, and on landing all is hurry, bustle, and confusion on the wharf. The cause of this is in general the lault of the emigrants themselves, for they are so indiscreet as to want all to be landed at one i! I n' It, r m :! ill 'J |! I \ 206 and the same time, and such is the confusion and dis- order which sometimes occur, that accidents of a serious nature have often happened ; and in some instances these accidents have been the cause of whole families returning to England : their disabled parent being ever afterward incapable of the exertion necessary to hia support. Were such precipitation in landing to be of any benefit, or did circumstances make it desirable, there might be some excuse ; but it is altogether unnecessary, for every passenger is entitled to remain on board the ship for at least two days, if they find it convenient. Thus they will have every advantage of time to make all necessary enquiries and arrangements respecting the best and cheapest mode of conveyance for the remain- der of their route to their place of location ; for the purpose of ascertaining the requisite information, the author would venture to recommend a short ramble through the city, which will be much more to any emigrant's advantage than following the ruinous but too common practice of stalking into the hotels, and there becoming a fixture during their stay in the city, and the while drinking the cheap and inferior spirits to hurtful excess. Nevertheless, as has been already stated, there will be little cause for delay in progressing Tip the country, during the season of emigration, as there is now a daily steam-packet conveyance to Montreal, where the emigrants will have to debark. Indeed the number of conveyances is daily increasing for longer routes, whereby the annoyance of shipping and rcship- 207 plug will be wholly avoided in a very short time, if it be not the case before this present period. The city of Quebec stands on the north-west side of the river St. Lawrence, at the junction of the Uttle river St. Charles, in latitude 40'* 49', longitude 71S 16' west, with a present population of above thirty thousand inhabitants, chiefly British, and is divided into upper and lower town ; the lower town is situated far below the upper, at the base of an immense rock, and haa generally the appearance of a British sea-port town, for the streets are dirty, crowded, and narrow; such is invariably the case with old fortified cities, as the inhabitants built and thronged together, in disturbed times, for self-protection, under the >alls of their ramparts. The lower town will afford every accommo- dation to the stranger, the inns being convenient and respectable ; the shops too are good, being stored with every necessary article of British manufacture. The more respectable tourists will find porters and servants from the hotels, waiting at the wharfs for the arrival of the steam-packets, who will take charge of their luggage, and shew the way to the upper town, which is far more interesting to the stranger, having hotels of first rate excellence, and where shops of equal appear- ance will be observed, well stored with an endless variety of the most elegant and expensive goods of Britain. The principal thoroughfare to the upper town is through Prescott Gate, a v'ew of which forcibly bespeaks the intentions of its builders, being strong, 1 lit lih 208 massive, and pierced with numerous loop-holes for musketeers. Adjoining to this gate-way, is a command- ing battery of heavy cannon ; on advancing through the narrow arched path way of this gate, and on ascend- ing a flight of steps to the left, the stranger will soon find himself on the highest part of the city, where the chief of the public buildings are situated. The castle of Quebec, which is at all times strongl}' garrisoned by several thousands of British troops, stands on a noble promontory, and is considered impregnable; it has justly been termed the Gibraltar of America, and will be visited by every British subject with the greatest curiosity, on account of past events of paramount importance connected with its history. The mode of gaining admittance, is by a card from the proper authorities at the military office. The highest part of the promontory of this fortress is called Cape Diamond, which is three hundred and fifty feet above the river St. Lawrence and the lower town, and nearly two hundred feet above the upper town. It comprehends an area of about six acres, all of which is enclosed on the city and land side with a perpendicular wall of hewn stone, of the most massive description, apparently forty feet high, with a ditch fifty feet wide, wholly blasted out of the solid rock. Within the cape is erev^ted the telegraph on the east Bide, with the observatory to the west, and near to this is the mcliued plain railway, of five hundred feet in length, for the purpose of drawing up to the summit, bj loop-holes for s a command- icing through ;nd on ascend- iger will soon ty, where the ,. The castle garrisoned by ids on a noble lable ; it has srica, and will [i the greatest Df paramount The mode of n the proper lighcst part of ape Diamond, 30ve the river id nearly two comprehends is enclosed on icular wall of )n, apparently wide, wholly ph on the east ad near to this mdred feet in he summit, by 209 a steam-engine, cannon and every description of heavy stores, for the use of this elevated part of the fortress. Within the cape is a line of spacious and bonib-proot casemates, competent to accommodate a garrison ot several thousand men ; and each apartment is pierced on the outside, next the ditch, with a line of loopholes for musketeers, which loopholes are constructed on the new plan, narrow inside and opening outwards, with steps faced with iron, which is an effectual plan of preventing the glancing in of musket balls. Such is the formidable combination of nature and art in ren- dering this pan of the fortress impregnable, so that it may hold at defiance any army, however numerous and resolute, provided it be defended by men of valour, determined to do their duty. From different parts of this promontory the visitor will have the most extensive and magnificent view imaginable. The var^-^d surrounding forest and agri- cultural licencry studded with white cottages; the broad surface of the mighty river St. Lawrence flowing mnjestically belov., bearmg on its bosom innumerable slips, with their white spreading sails ; together with the briirht glittering tin roofed private and public buildines and lofty spires which appear beneath you ; all these compose a picture which is enchanting. The more distant view is interrupted by a range of lofty mountains, of from one to two thousand feet in height ; and on the opposite lofty shore of the river St. Lawrence stands the pictures(iue village of Point Levi; with T *^M 11 \ 210 !l! I i i I rieveral villages iu the surrounding district, some of which are chiefly inhabited bj the lative x\merican Indians. On leaving this cape to return into the city, the main archway entrance of the castle will be repassed. On entering into the ditch, and within this archway, are the main guard rooms. Here the visitor will have an opportimity of examining the beauty of this masterpiece of masonary, called Dalhousie Gate, and the construc- tion of the loopholes of the casemated barracks already alluded to, which penetrate the bastion, and which freely command with a raking fire of musketry the whole of the ditch. Hence strength, symmetry, and Uiselulnoss are admirably combined in these works, accordhig to the most approved plans of fortification. I'Yom a small out- work to the bastion is a subterraneous passage of singular construction, admitting but one ])erson at once in several places; the staircase being spiral, with branches for guards, to prevent intruders, should the enemy attempt to force it. The esplanade Ixittery is a beautiful sloping ground, and is mounted with cannon and mortars of formidable magnitude ; surpassed only by the grand battery, which is situated behind the parliament house. This consists of thirty heavy ordinance, each carrying thirty-two poimd balls, this range of cannon has an interesting aspect, each cannon being mounted on an extraordinary high iron carriage, which with the artillery are painted jet black ; hence they are familiarly called the black artillery 211 hittery Tlio whole area euclo.ea witkiu these fortifi- e In. of Qaebee b about fiCty acres. To the south of the upper towu, on the very verge of the tremendous „ural precipice, stands the ruins of the famous castle of St I.ouls, which was xuifortunately totally destroyed by fire, in January, 1831. To the vi,w of the observer, these ruins present a most terrific «1>P— -' J^ they really overhang the precip.ee, which is two hundred feet nearly perpendicular above the lower part of the city. _ The other public buildings of this ancient citj are only meagre, compared with similar public institutions i„ England; however they are not entirely devodot architectural beauty, and claim the attention of he curious traveller. The English -t^odral is a beau iu. building of modern erection, is suvroaiided with iroi. rlu., and is furnished with a peal of eight bel s in a beautlM high tower. The interior is eCuaUy elegan and is furnished with a fine organ; and has seve al ,.„dsome monuineiits, memorials of departed worth The mortal remains of General Charles Lennox, Duk. of Richmond, Governor General of Canada, are de- ,osited within this cathedral ; who died of that dre,i^iu iud fatal disease hydrophobia, on the twen y-eigh f A«.'ust, 181!), sometime after having been uufi^tunatel, bitten by a fox at Richmond, a place of his adoption as ;"op» site for an important town to be buiU and fosLed by his powerful patronage, and which is situated in the upper province. T. *■ 'I, :, M^ P !'!} {If! i' ■ I i 212 The beautiful and ancient French cathedral, with its Io% tower and spire, is very ornamental. The interior also is handsome, and is divided by massive stone arches into aisles. The altar and choir are likewise splendidly decorated with a fine organ and several valuable scrip- tural oil paintings. The other catholic institutions are numerous and extensive. The college, which adjoins the French cathedral, is a noble stone building and valuable institution; for youths to the amount of several hundreds are here educated gratuitously, and may be known by their peculiar dress, so commonly seen in catholic countries-a black-gown and sash, and a square- topped cap. Belonging to this establishment, is a col- lection of the most valuable scriptural paintings on this continent, and a library equally valuable and extensive, together with a museum containing rare subjects of natural history. The convents, of which the Ursuline Xunnery is the chief, are establishments of about forty nuns, where every department of feminine education is taught. It is worthy of remark, that within the walls of this nunnery are deposited the remains of the brave French General Montcalm, who was mortally wounded while perform- ing acts of undaunted valour on the plains of Abraham, on the j:?ni of September, mi), and dying on the following day, was buried in a cavity made by the bursting of a bombshell ; to whose memory a plam marble monument has been lately erected. The hospitals are large and valuable establishments. The 213 hotel Dieu is an mstltiitlou of about tliirty nuns, wlio give every care and attention to tlic proper applicants, and provide tlicm vritli proper medicines gratuitously. The general hospital, which stands on the river St. Charles, out of the city, is an ancient establishment of about forty professed nuns. The marine hospita^ now iu the course of building, when completed will be a valuable institution for the sca-farnig patients : and is on that extensive scale, that several hundred patients will easily find every accommodation. The other public buildings, the bishop's palace, par- liament house, and offices of government, are all respec- table edifices ; some extensive buildings, which were formerly colleges, are now occupied by the troops of the city : for instance, the Jesuit's college is now the quarters of the seventy-ninth regiment of Highlanders. This fine builduig is situate in the market-place, opposite the l< rench cathedral, and its grounds are surrounded by an extensive wall. The custom-house is a neat su!>- stantial new building, in the lower town, adjoining the King's wharf, the place of landnig and cmbarlcation of troops and government stores. Vlere likewise is an extensive yard, studded with artillery and a battery. Near to this situation was killed the American (General Montgomery, who with General Arnold, attacked the lower town during a severe snow st(^rm, early in the morning of the last day of December, 177;). It is singular that the remains of this officer shouhl lia\ c been disinterred in 1818, at the rofpic^t of his widow, i o %,i ^m^ium^t 214 Nil I by the very individual who buried him, after a lapse of forty-two years, they were removed to New York and re-interred. The banks are highly respectable establish- ments, and here is a branch of the Montreal bank. The post-office sends off a daily mail to Upper Canada ; and there are several newspapers published in this city, and are ably conducted ; some of which are alternately published in both the English and French languages. This city was incorporated only a few years ago, and is governed by a mayor and common councilmen; the mayor being chosen annually out of the councilmen. Quebec is a place of great trade, particularly in timber ; more than a thousand ships laden with that commodity leave the river annually, and the trade is rapidly im- proving ; and if I was not misinformed, there is every probability of a regular packet communication with England, an improvement much wanting, and which would considerably increase the prosperity of the colony, and especially of this important city. The interesting water-falls of JNJontmorency, about ten miles from the city, are highly worthy of an excur- sion from a stranger visiting Quebec. The sheet of water is insignificant when compared with the frightful cascade of Xiagra. However it is considerably higher, having a perpendicular fall of above two hundred and fifty feet, which is the highest fall of the like current known. The stream, l)efore it i)lmiges hito the abyss below, is dashed into spray which assumes the appearance of hoar frost. Merc it was, on the last day of July, 215 nV) th«t the gallant Wolfe, and lus brave fev,-, com- ,ncuc'ed their trmmpUaut career in this province, by attackiug the French, bnt withont success, after a most desperate and bloody battle. This failure of success, lest it should sully lus already acquired fame, drove him probably to that state of desperation which prompted him to attempt the stupendous undertakmg of scaling the heights of Abraham, where ended his mortal career. . ,. „. :„ The plains of Abraham, the most mterestmg spot in the environs of the city, wiU be readily found by ,be curious and intelligent stranger, who mi agani visiting the upper town, and passing through St, Louis g,,e for some short distance, will arrive at the race- tand, to the west of the city ; on the left of which M two of the bravest commanders at the head of their small but valiant armies of about three t— * "len The race-conrse occupies a large portion of tins battle field, and it is well adapted for the manoeuvermg and display of military discipline, as it is nearly a eve surface, and on the very verge of the precipice of the riJer St. Lawrence. Had it not been for this fortunate and ever to be remembered victory of our brave l^iman, which effectually decided the fa.e of the Canadas, the British emigrant would probably never ^:ve eioyed his present privileges of colonizing the Canadas, lu one of the enclosures adjoining the race-coiirse and towards the city, will be dis mc ly observed a neat marble column of nine feet m height, ^'i i ! I ,:r. m l!' i 1! m I on which i. clooph- cut the following brief inscription : (( riKRE I„BD „.OLKE VICTORIOUS. And what IS most singnlar and interesting in the con- .tmet_,oa of this memorial in, that in the mo.t eonspieuous part of the pedestal is placed the remaining portion of the ulentieal granite rock on which the bravt if; '''^;:^"''^"'">g l''^ ^rtal wound, inclined his head, heard the shouts of Wctorj-, and died. Another tribute of respect to the memory of tins valiant chief and his equally- brave opponent General Montcalm (who commanded the French arin^- on the plains of Abraham,) is a beautiful obelisk, seventy feet high, with the words Wolfe and Montcalm conspiciiousl, eiig;:"; on the opposite sides of it. This column is situated in (he upper town, fronting the ruhis of the castle of St Louis, and is well preserved from wanton insult. Cut It IS otherwise with the column on the buttle plains which as yet remains unprotected; and thou.h onW lately erected, slill marks of intentional damage are |.Iready conspicuous; for every pilgrim to this interest- nig spot batters off a piece of the rocky pedestal as h -lie ..death bed pillow of the youthful hero General M olle was born in the parish of U-csterhan. m the county of Kent, .lanuary -nd, ITl'T; to whj niemory is erected a .splendid inonnment in West Aiinster >bbey, at the expense of the Uritish nation representing the hero cpiring, wi,h his hand on thj I 217 uscription n tlic con- the most remaining L the brave iclined his Another ^aiit chief; ^lontcahn, plains of liigh, with engraven ituated iu tie of St. lit. But e plahis, \uh only lyg'e are iutercst- ^tal as H III hero, stcrhani, ) whose nation, on the wound in the breast, supported in the arm of a grenadier; under which is an appropriate inscription proclaiming his valour and worth. These commandmg plains of Abraham were once afterwards the theatre of military manoeuvering during the American revolutionary war, when the combined armies of America, under the command of Generals Montgomery and iVrnold, besieged the city in 1775. After a blockade of six months, and repeated storming, the ene ly was compelled to move off, with the loss of one of meir rebel Generals, Mont- gomery ; for such is the revolution of events, that this unfortunate General had really fought bravely with Wolfe, the battles of England some sixteen years before. -i M/ IM It i . ROUTE FROM QUEBEC TO MONTREAL, A steam-packet leaves the wharfs of Quebec everv evening for Montreal, during tlie whole season of naviga- tion ; commencing in the latter part of the month of May, and discontmuhig hi November. However thero can be no exact period stated, all dcpendhig on the severity of the seasons. During the passage up the river St. Tiawrence, Jie packet calls in at several of the chief villages on the route, to land and take in passengers and luggage, and fire wood at two places ; whereby every accommodation is offered to emigrants whose place of location is adjoining either of the districts bordering on the river. The trip is seldom performed in less than thirty hours, in consequence of having the rapids to encounter, and a strong current to beat against; however the time will be apparently shortened by the unrivalled beautiful scenery of this mighty river, wl-ich will bo highly interesting to the most insensible observer. I'lie distance from Quebec to INIontreal is one hundred and eighty miles, and is navigated by steam-packets of gi'eat Bize and beauty. The cabin fare is sLx dollars, for which warn 219 tlie passenger will be well entertained, and liave excel- lent accommodation ; tlie steerage fare is three dollars. Sucli is tlie general rate of cliarges, but should the emigrant be so fortunate on arriving as to find a spirited opposition on the river, he will find the fare considerably reduced, probably to one-half the amount already stated. However, if I am correctly informed, the most effectual arguments are often resorted to by certain parties at Montreal, in preventing opposition on the river St. Lawrence, and unfortunately with too much success. On moving off from the wharf of Quebec, the stranger will eagerly embrace the opportunity so advantageously offered, of surveying the formidable appearance of the castle, and the vast height of the rocky promontory on which is built cape Diamond. On this part of the rock is the telegraph, which from this point appears a very insignificant piece of macliinery. This castellated rock of granite has a perpendicular rise of nearly four hun- dred feet above the waters of St. Lawrence, with broad fortified walls on its frowning brow. On advancing up the river some little, the distant ad- vanced towers of defence will be observed standing insulated on the high grounds of the north bank. The interesting spot termed Wolfe's Cove, is to be observed behind the first projection of the cliff, on passing up the river. Here it was, up this tremendous precipice on the north bank of the river, that G eneral Wolfe and his handful of heroes, gallantly climbed during the night, taking up w ;« I I I '(r-i">^| 220 witli them one piece of cannon only, and conquered Canadafromtbe Frencli. This mountainous foot-patli was afterwards the pass of an American army. General Arnold having, during the revolutionary war, led up his soldiers in this place, in imitation of General Wolfe ; but unfortu- nately for x\mold, the British General's head, heart, and army were not there, or he would probably been more suc- cessful. Hence on this occasion Arnold was defeated, by the spirited but motly garrison of soldiers and undisciplin- ed citizens all being of one mind and determined to do their duty. Thus, after several vain attempts at taking the castle, by which he lost nearly one-half of his men, who surrendered, General Arnold moved off, no little chagrined by the failure attending liis imitation of the conqueror of British America. A little beyond is SiLLORY CoVE, which is likewise full of interest, as being the place ./here the last battle was fought between Wolfe's brave few and the French army, in 1759, and where again British valour prevailed ; the French army surrendered, and thus sealed the con- quest of the Ca-^adas. On this part of the river the scene will be much enlivened by the crews of the innumerable ships merrily singing with stentorian voices their national airs, while bawling into the ship their cargo of timber. The whole river is studded with ships and immense rafts of timber for Europe. The heights of Point Levi, on the opposite bank, which is likewise spotted amidst the rich forest foliage I ■ 221 ad conquered jfoot-patliwas eneral Arnold ap Ills soldiers I ; but unfortu- ad, heart, and 3eenmoresuc- \s defeated, by idundisciplin- erminedto do npts at taking alf of his men, 1 off, no little litation of the ch is likewise the hist battle ad the French our prevailed ; sealed the con- the river the crews of the mtorian voices the ship their .ded with ships opposite bank, h forest foliage n with innumerable snow-white cottages, add greatlyto the ' JACQUES CARTIER.-This place is thirty miles from Quebec, and one hundred and fifty from >Iontrcal ; and derives its name from the French navigator who first scientifically explored the length of this noble river, about the middle of the sixteenth century. The village is situate on the north bank, and reported to have the honour of liaving the first church built in Canada ; some ruins of which still remain. On the opposite south shore is situated the village of ST ANTOlNE ; on the high perpendicular cliffs in the neighbourhood of which are several new villages spring- incr up. In this part of the route the cottages and viUa-es have a more than commonly mteresting appear- ance° from the height of their situation, and the neat whiteness of the greater number of them, contrasted with the dark foliage of the remaining forest; m truth, the cottages seem to be stealing a peep through the trees. The village of LoTHiNlERE holds a commanding situation on the lofty southern cliffs, and is remark- ably conspicuous by its church, which has two high spires covered with tin, glittering in the sun beams. On again further advancing, the first important rapid of the river will be passed through. These rapids of Richelieu are ten miles in length, the current is tremendous, and will be observed by the stranger with intense interest ; and to the inexperienced navigator, the danger of this part of the river St. Lawrence is very '1^ ' 1 r-t^l m Ft ooo I ;IMJl great, not on account of tlie velocity of the current only, but from the thousands of pieces of rock which may be observed peeping above the surface of the water in innumerable places. This part of the river is often the anchorage of sliips waiting for steam-packets to tow them up to Montreal. In fact, the conductors of steam- packets are compelled to attend to the tide so as to pass this place always at flood, otherwise it would be unsafe. Hence they leave the city of Quebec accordingly. The town called the < Three Rivers' is situated on the north bank of the river St. Lawrence, at the mouth of the junction of three small inland rivers ; hence its name. This is a very improving town, and is midway nearly between Quebec and IVIontreal; being eighty- four from the former city, and ninety-six from the latter; and has a population of three thousand inhabitants. It is a well-built English looking town, with the best accommodations for the stranger, as the stores and hotels are respectable. In the neighbourhood of this place is an iron foundry of considerable extent, which the traveller will readily observ^e ; for in the neighbour- hood of the wharf will be piles of iron ware, such as grates and potash kettles of good workmanship ; allow- ing for it being nearly the first and infant foundry in the province. Here is likewise an extensive nunnery, with its adjoining chapel. The other public buildings, with the parish church, form interesting objects of view from the upper deck of the steam-packet, while gliding up the river. After remaining here about half-an-hour f le current ock wliich ' tlie water er is often [ets to tow 3 of steam- as to pass be unsafe. ituated on the moutli hence its is midway \g eightj- the latter; habitants. L the best tores and id of this it, which eighbour- , such as 3 ; allow- )undry in nunnery, juildings, ;s of view le gliding f-an-hour 223 to laud and receive passengers, and to furnish the neeessarv supply of wood fuel, the packet proceeds ,,.vard 'on its course. After passing Point-du-lac, and several other villages, and woodland scenery, the nver will be observed to widen considerably, where is called the lake of St. Peter, which is above twenty mdes m lencrth, and of the most picturesque appeanmce by bein- irregularly studded with several islands, all ot whicd. are beautifully covered by their native woods. Ti^o banks of the river St. Lawrence in this part of the route are low, so much so as to cau.e the adjommg lands to be swampy and waste. . WILLIAM HENRY. -This towu received its name from a. visit of his present Majesty, and was wholly built by the Royalists of the revolutionary times. It is .ituated on the southbank of the river St. Lawrence at the junction of the river Sorrel, which is the outlet of lake Cham,lain. It is one hundred and thirty-five miles from Quebec, and for cy-five miles from Montreal ; and is a rapidly improving and flourishing town from a regular influx of emigrants. There is a protestant church, also an extensive and beautiful square m the centre of the town; the present population is about three thousand inhabitants. The site of this place is exceedingly pleasant, having from its elevated situ- ation an extensive view of the rivers St. Lawrence and Sorrel; and is also an important military station, the hi-h green banks of defence having a formidable aspect." The governor of this province has a residence V 2 ^ i I'iil Hi < !< f «ii 111 . 224 about a mile bejond this place up the river Sorrel ; it is a large substantial building, and in its immediate neighbourhood are extensive barracks for a numerous garrison. After remaining at William Hour j sufficiently- long to allow a supply of the fire wood to be got on board, and the landing and receiving of passengers, the steam-packet turns round and re-enters the river St. Lawrence. The town of Sorrel, as might be expected from its situation, was the theatre of several important military and naval operations during the American wars ; here it was that the British, under General Carlton, had a severe encounter with the Americans, unde" General Montgomery, some short time prior to that General being killed. On advancing from this place towards Montreal, the scenery on each bank of the river is improved equally in extent and variety by the large tracts of cultivated laud, with a continuance of the national white painted farm houses of the French Canadians, which bedeck the shore through the whole of the route ; occasionally interrupted by a patch of forest or small town, which will be topped by glittering tinned spires of the church, some of which have two and others three of these resplendant spires so orna- mental, and which much diversify the picturesque scene. Prior to arriving at Montreal, the steam-packet will have again to beat her way through a most tempestuous current in the river, culled the St. Mary Rapids, however there is little or no danger to be apprehended while the \ 1 225 Sorrel; it immediate L numerous sufficiently be got on eugers, the 3 river St. (d from its it military vars ; here ■on, had a J"* General t General e towards e river is the large ice of the e French the whole patch of glittering have two so oma- [ue scene, .cket will npestuous , however while the hand of experience in the navigation of these alarming rapids guards the helm. In this part of the river is the beautiful little island of St. Helens, which is nearly wholl> covered with forest, and on which is a strong military station, well situated for effectually commanding the passage of the river. Tue officers' quarters and soldiers' barracks on the island have a picturesque appearance, and a fine effect from being nearly embowered by the rich forest foliage in the backgrounds. During the last war there was a wooden bridge from this island to the Montreal side of the river St. Lawrence, for the convenience of expediting the passage of soldiers and military stores. At present there is scarcely a relic of the bridge left, the rapids having swept the whole before them. v3 ^. A^ THE CITY OF MONTREAL. Ill On the steam-packet arriving at this ancient place, the stranger will find the landing place very convenient, as the wharfs are of modern erection, commodious, and well constructed ; and there is the most plentiful attend- ance of both French and British porters, carters, and servants from the respectable hotels; most of these speak the English and French languages sufficiently well to be understood by the generality of emigrants. If the intention be to remain a few days in this city, engage one of th^se porters, who will take charge of your luggage, and show the way to either a private boarding house, or hotel for British travellers. There every information can be had respecting the canal, coach, or steam-packet routes to any part of the upper or lower provinces, and the respective fares. The city stands on the island of IVIontreal, in the river St. Lawrence, which is about thirty miles long, but very narrow in the centre. It is one hundred and eighty miles south-west of Quebec; fo^^r hundred and two from the city of Toronto, the capital of Upper i iient place, convenient, odious, and iful attend- arters, and st of these sufficiently emigrants. I this city, I charge of ' a private Ts. There the canal, f the upper eal, in the es long, but mdred and mdred and ■ of Upper ^B 227 Canada; and ^'-ree hundred and eighty-six nortt of New York, wl.i a present population of above thirty thousand inhabitants, being some few hundreds above the numerical population of Quebec. The site of this city has been well chosen for exten- sive advantages for trade, and equally so for showing the buildings to advantage; and few towns on this continent have made more rapid strides in useful im- provements than this of late years ; for the regular piles of handsome and commodious buildings are numerous ; the streets having become spacious and handsome by the removal of innumerable old and unsightly buildings. There is one particular trait in the buildmg of this city, the ro<:;s being nearly universallycovered with tin : for the private and public edifices, with then: cupolas and spirec, are aU similarly covered with tm of the brightest silvery lustre. This circumstance so completely changes the features of this city, that it has not the least resemblance to any other; for wlien the weather is fiwourable with a bright sun, the distant vipw is delightful ; the glittering of the innumerable tm roofs and towers being indescribably brUliant, givingthe whole » more than ordinarily magnificent appearance. Tl- ■ public buildings are numerous and elegant, par- ticularly the French cathedral church, which is the largest and most perfect gothic edifice appropriated to the catholic worship in North America. It is not yet com- pletely finished, the intended quadrangular towers are to be two hundred feet high. It has several pubhc yi I "Tl I i 228 entrances, and can accommodate a congregation of ten thousand persons at one time. Tlie interior accords in beauty. The cathedral is heated by stoves under the floor. The British episcopal churches are fine build- ings, with high pyramidal bright spires. The nunneries are religious establishments of great extent in this city, and from their monastic appearance and surrounding lofty walls, they will be readily observed by the stranger, and distinguished accordingly. The convents of the black and grey nuns are large buildings, with a low steeple and a bell, which is almost perpetually sounding with its melancholy din. Visitors can be admitted if they apply to the proper authorities, but they are always ex- pected to purchase some article of the nuns' manufacture. The priests of these catholic institutions are readUy known, ^oy their always wearing in public their gowns. The other public buildings need not particular descrip- tion, excepting the college, which is a commodious establishment, and is well supported with a numerous attendance of students. There are numerous other seminaries of learning of both English and French, where every description of useful education is taught. The new gaol is also a handsome edifice, and near to which is Nelson's monument, which stands in the mar- ket-place, exactly opposite the city guard house, and is a magnificent monumental column, on the top of which is placed a full length statue of the hero. This token in memorial of the valiant exploits of the admiral, was erected by public subscription, by the admirers of his 229 Ration of ten ir accords in )S under tlie 3 fine build- le nunneries in this citj, surrounding the stranger, -ents of the with a low lly sounding Liitted if thej > always ex- nanufacture. are readUj heir gowns, liar descrip- 30inmodious I numerous erous other ud French, 1 is taught. Lind near to in the mar- ose, and is a ' of which is lis token iu Imiral, was irers of his national worth in this city ; its site is open and com- manding, and on the whole it is a great ornament to the city. There are extensive barracks situated behind an ancient wall, which fronts the river St. Lawrence, nearly opposite St. Helens' island. Within the wall is a capacious square, for military exercise, and a plot of ground which encloses an immense range of heavy cannon; the whole is surrounded by the soldiers' quarters. The parade ground is towards the centre of the city, where the troops parade every morning; this is a beautiful plot of ground, surrounded by 'lofty trees, which shade and beautify the walks during the summer months. The trade of INIontreal is very considerable, the shops and stores of the merchants are handsome buildings, and respectable as regards their substantial and choice collection of British goods ; and the warehouses in St. Paul's Street are very commodious piles of buildings. The inns are as respectable as any in the colony, and the press is ably conducted ; the number of newspapers published weekly is about seven, and they are often animated by the party spirit of the respective British and French politicians. The markets are well supplied with every choice article, and considerably sooner than the same article could be obtained in Quebec. The new market house is a commodious building, the stalls within oeing arranged with every required vegetable from the gardens of the surrounding neighbourhood, and generally about one-sixth part cheaper than in the tf^ 1 If i r^iA 230 market at Quebec. This nearly universal rule is also applicable to the butcher's market, and will hold good as the traveller or v aigrant advances up more into the interior of the country as far as the city of Toronto, the metropolis of Upper Canada, and its surrounding districts. It will be as easily understood that the reverse must be the case with imported articles from Britain, which will be cheaper at Quebec than at Montreal, and will gradually increase in value, which will practically be found correct by emigrants as they advance up into the interior of the provinces. rule is also I hold good )re iuto tlie Pronto, the urroundiiig i that the 'tides from ec than at lue, which its as they THE ENVIRONS OF THE CITY OF MONTREAL. To the westward, stands towering aloft high above the city, a mountain seven hundred feet in height, partially covered with its primeval forest, the ascent of which is by a winding road in tolerable good repair ; and no curious stranger or visitor to this city will ever neglect an excursion to its delightful summit ; however fatigued, they will be more than recompensed by the grandeur of the view from the road ; which gradually becomes more extensive and gratifying as the mountain is ascended ; whence there will be every opportunity offered of surveying undisturbed the surrounding exten- sive and fertile country, though a flat prairie region. However, by being studded with the white painted farm houses, and cottages of a numerous population, the scenery is highly pleasing and beautiful. But on beholding the city beneath him, the stranger will be in raptures of admiration, at the grand and indescribable glittering of the numerous tin-covered church spires, cupolas, and roofs of the greater part of the public III ^■li w^i i; 1 1 am iy 232 and private buildings, almost too dazzling for the eyes to look upon. The new French cathulic cathedral church appears now a conspicuous ornament, being far above the surrounding buildings, reducing them com- paratively to insignificance. In the distant eastern view, several high and extensive mountains will be observed interrupting the vievv' ; and in the river St. Lawrence below, will be observed the eminently pic- turesque little island St. Helens, and its formidable fortifications. On tht opposite bank of the river St. Lawrence, to the south-east, is situated the towns of Laprairie and Longueil ; and to the north will be per- ceptible the extremity of the island of Montreal, Point-aux-Trembles, and other straggling but important villages ; the whole being ornamented with glittering pyramidal church spires, or domes ; which combination adding much to the magnificence of the adjoining forest scenery, forms a view second only to the un- rivalled splendours of Quebec, the richest scenery in North America. The villas, or summer residences of the wealthy on the slope of this mountain, have nothing very interesting in their appearance, and are few and far between. On the left, as you ascend by the main road, will be observed a castellated edifice, whh towers and other architectural ornaments of older days, which is peculiarily interesting to the mind of the patriotic emigrant, who has viewed with pleasure the mansions of the great in his native land. ^ for the eyes c catliedrfil it, being far tlicm com- ant eastern ns will be ic river St. inently pic- formidable le river St. le towns of s-ill be per- INIontreal, it important :li glittering combination e adjoining to the un- t scenery in Dsidences of ave nothing are few and )y the main with towers days, which he patriotic Le mansions ROUTE FROM MONTREAL TO THE CITY OF TORONTO, BY THE OTTAWA RIVER AND REDEAU CANAL. The tourist or emigrant whose intention it may be to uroeeed forward to the upper province of Canada, will have to pass through the village of Lachine, a distance of nine miles Irom Montreal, and may suit his own convenience by taking either the stage-coach or canal route. The latter mode is, however, the most advan- tageous route for emigrants, and should always be taken by them for this reason- it is cheaper, equally safe, and nearly as expeditious ; considerations of the greatest moment to all emigrants, who for the most part are grievously encumbered with heavy, and often unservice- able, luggage, over and above a numerous lainily. As loon as"" Uic emigrant lands on the wharf from the steam-packet, on arriving at the city of INIontreal, his object is to engage a proper conveyance for his lamily and lu-gage, with the intention of immediately pro- w ¥ i /i 1 1 ii I i^ I r I? :Si'' t 234 ceeding by the above route. lu this part of the busmess there is required some caution, and on no account let him make a hasty bargain, or negligently leave his property with any of the numerous porters in attendance, for fear of imposition, a practice too preva- lent with this class of servants on the wharfs. However, we will suppose a bargain made with some porter, who w^ill shew the way to the left, on the north bank of the river St. Lawrence; and directly before you, at the distance of upwards of half a mile, will be observed the locks and other works at the entrance of the Lachine canal, close by which is a wind-mill. Mere the build- ings termed forwarding warehouses, the property of the Ottawa River and Redeau Canal Companies, will be readily found out, where any luggage may be safely de- posited, till the time of sailing of the barges, which are considered very coxJmodious and comfortable, when compared with the boats of former years, which thnn formed the only conveyance for emigrants' families nuel hea\'y luggage. The fares of travelling by this route often vary considerably, and have every appear- ance of still further fluctuation from the increasing spirit of competition. However, at present they may be stated as fdllow. — I'Vom Montreal to Kingstone, nearly three hundred miles, generally performed by this route in nboiit five days : adults, two dollars ; youths about fo\irl(>en years of age, one dollar ; children, three shil- \hio J.^^^^^^ ^^^ ote„.hrfn,g. '^" ^l''' *^ t; ", a. traveller 0. the emigrant's aceommoaai ., no. tourist. , ^^,,4-r. i« verv inter- -l-Uo seenery along ^ .'^"^/'^ ^^ ,,^ esung, P-tlcnlarly the ^^^l^^ ^^^.r .^ ,, the river St. L--- ■ ^^ ;^^^^,„, ,,.,, Mm to Uo greatly d-W-'f • .'"" /^^^ .^^ ^,^^ ^^en.., suppose, ever agam tomg his ton ^^^^^ to — sn.tenel— at^.-^^^ ""'^r Ct h loir provhie, exeeptlng the .eady deserib .1, n the P ^^^.^^ ^^^ eelehrated ials ^^^^^^^ ,, ,„, ,„d swampy, '^-"'^'^^".tnX^'st. Lawrence on this rout. "'\;r^^r:!^';:ri:i..-gat.irregu •I'he small x ma„t ^ ,,„,,:e,ilarly luterestmg or larlyl>">lt. and has -"'XXcL, being sU .vorthy the attentn.u of tl'^"?,' rf^r However, „tca on the adjacent banks of the n J • n ..11 tr-ivpUers must pa-ssj ^^""^^ t ^T^'riitit^^rfit^^^ • .„w.f Rritisb Amcrieu, wUeuici uu.> provnices ot 13ritisi ^^^^^^^^^^ ^..^^^,^^ . .ecdmgbytlicnverM.LaNMUice ^^ ^ w $ i Ptl i 230 for at this place the barge, from Montreal will be met of .M. Au„, and „p the Grand or Ottawa River to Caril- lon, a distance of upwards of forty mile, Then GreuviUe canal, of about twelve n.iles in length w I be passed through; at the extremity ofwhiel i ..tuated the town of Grenville, which is about seventy jn.les from Jfontreal, and one hundred and ninety fr^m Kmgstone and is a flourishing and rapidly impLing P lae , and the canal has added no trifling stiilus tl ^.ncreasmg prosperity. By this shore eanal another U" of rup^dsm the (>tawa river, of upwards of fifteen md s ,„ eng h, ts avoided. At thi. place the steam- on. he following morning the traveller will again embark for Bytown a d.tance of sixty miles. Bvtown is about one Imndredand twenty-five miles from Montreal, and bout one hundred and thirty-five from Kh>gstone A las place the steamer will arrive on Ihe evening of the econd day after about a thirteen hours' trip, i,:.,udin,. stoppages, rom the place of departure in ,1,: niornin.: .nd m.erestn>g, on account of its great variety as re- «Pec.s water and forest wildncss. By.owu is a .eat wel -bud, and in.proving place, b„.l/„s respect tr ' an P-i™;';-:""^ near it are e,.e..sivc giver:: "orLs, winch gives extra importance to the site The Ho eau waterfall.s, of about thirty yards' descent wU ''e duly adtnired by the traveller inlested in :";,;::! T" will be met I the rapids er to Caril- !s in length, of which is ^ut seventy linotj from improving stimulus to lal another i of fifteen the steam- , and earl V •I in embark n is about treal, and tone. At ng of the including mornui''-. 5 pleasant ( V as re- > ci neat, cts trade 'ernment e. The cut, will sublime 237 ,cenen- : as also the noble cataract of Chtuuliore, on the sumc immediate route. As to works of art, iho Union Bridge, which crosses the river Ottawa at this place, is a fine specimen of architecture, with a grand central arch of nearly aO() feet span. This noble bridge here unites the upper and lower provinces of Canada, and the town of Hull with Bytown. The cost of this i^plendid union bridge, which was immense, is expected to be liquidated, ere long, by the toll collected on passing.^ Hull and its vicinity have every appearance of steadily advancing improvements, with all the stir- ring activity of a place of business, and an enterprising population, rapidly augmenting by incessant arrivals of emigrants. In this immediate neighbourhood are se-nral high-mountains, which have been exannned and found to contain excellent ores of lead and iron, with marble of superior quality. However they have not as yet been worked to much advantage, for want of ciuabhed and competent persons engaging in the speculation. Alter advancing up the Redeau ri^-er and through the locks, the stetim-packet will enter the Redeau Lower Lake, which is about twenty miles in length and upwards of ibur miles wide, directly through which lies the course uf the canal. To the west of this lake enters the beautiful river Tay on which, about twelve miles above, i. situated the' town of Perth. This is the chief town in Bathursl district, and although a place which has suddenly started into existence, is toler.bly well buiU. wuh .., i m i 238 industrious population of mocleiii emigration of about rjltccn hundred iuluibitants ; it is adorned willi a iiuo now built cliurch and court house ; and su})plicd by numerous well stocked tftorcs and hotels, which afford no inferior accorani(;dation to travellers ; and admirably constructed wharls at the respective landing- places, for the convenience of landhiL>- and taking- in passengers. On following the line of the canal, the Uedeau Upper Jjakc will ])c catered. This lake takes its name from being divided by a wooden mole of upwards of five Innidred feet in length, in order to raise the waters for the j'urpose of canal navigation ; and on the pussing of the next locks, of two yards rise, tlx,' barges will outer another lake termed ^lud iiake ; which ex[)ressive name, it will 1)0 readily believed, is derived iiom the muddy appearance of its water. IJefore the packet enters this lake, it will pass through an excavation of al)Out a mile of lenatn, and ui)wards of thirl v feet wide, thnnmh a point of land; and affer }ias.-ing a look, the barges will enter anolhcr lake vrhich is a iKautiful sheet of water called Clciir liulio. This fnie sheet oi" water is upwards of two mil.:v> in length ; however it is very narrow, and especially diJTier.lt oi" navigation. The next k'.kc vrhieh the l)arges enter after passing, through a river ofiuconsideralde I: igth, is Indian Lake, through which the boats (piickly pass, aiid then enter (Jpinieau l^iike. Here the barges enter a creek made na,viga!)le by a mole or cml)ankment, and a lock of y.bove three j-ards rise ; hence only a small portion of *R m )ii of about with a iiuc «ii]iplic(l by ■liich ufford 1 adniirublv places, for [la-ssciigerH. lean Upper name from irds of iive 3 Witters for -' passing of s will ^-'iiter ssive name, tlie muddy enters this )Out a mile tlirouuli a. barces will ct of water is upward?) arrow, and er passing, ditm Lake, then enter reek made a lock of portion of 231) this lake is crossed prior to entering tlie next succeeding lake, whicli is also a pieturcsciuc sheet of water named Sand Lake. After passing several fmc specimens of extensive and inqjortant works for lacilitathig naviga- tion, the ])aeket will enter this lino lake, of upwards of five miles in length, which is studded with islands, thickly covered with native Ibliage, which adorn greatly this part of the route with a highly splendid pic- tures(pie prospect. This terminates the navigation of the seven lakes on the lledeau canal, and after passing Jones's rapids, the barires soon arrive at the town of Khigstone It will be promi)tly comprehended by the reader, that the Kedeau canal route of navigation is principally through kdces, whicli are connected together by hitcrvening canals of more or less extent, and of upwards of fifty feet wide, wUh a corresponding depth of water to allow safely the navigation of steam-packets. The country through which this route of navigation passes, as might be expected, is often low^, marshy, and unusually wild aspect; although occasionally the scenery is bold and romantic, and intersected with large tracts of land reclaimed from the forest wilds, and iiiidcr tolerable cuUivation. There are also innumer- able rustic-built log shantces, peeping apparently for the iirst. time through an aperture of the primeval forest ; and considerable villages mhabited by emigrants of suitable industry and entcrprize, and who for the most part have been located in the country only a few m m 240 jears ; for this part of the province, comparatively speaking, was valueless until the opening of the Iledeau canal gave fresh impulse to the latent energies to its few settlers, and drew forth a current of zealous cniit^rants. i\ .1 11 1 :'.(' ipnrativcly he Ilcdcau s to its few :;miuTaiity. THE ST. LAWRENCE ROUTE, FROM MONTREAL TO TORONTO, THE CAPITAL OF UPPER CANADA. f The respectable traveller or tourist will take this line of road, for the reason of its being the most pleasant and expeditious, and the scenery more di oisified, and on a scale of magnificence t » excite admiration, and invite the investigation of the curious stranger. The journey by this route is performed alternat ij by coach and steam-packet, because the river St. Lawrence is not as yet navigable throughout for steamers or shipd of large burden, on account of the powerful current of the rapids, and its shallowness for scores of miles on its course. This part of the route is performed by stage-coaches, on the bank of the river St. Lawrence ; the road being pouietinies nearly on the verge of the river, but for the most part comparatively free from danger, and occasion- ally the road is tolerably good, but generally it will be found to be the most wretched imaginable; and the jolting, during a few miles of the journey, is nearly in- sufferable, and can only be exceeded by a journey into the interior of the provinces. ^ u. 242 KiNGSTONE, a port on this routo,at tlio western extre- mity of the river St. Lawrence, is about two linndrcd miles from Montreal, and l^'C journey is usuUy performed in tlic following order in two days. The fare hehig ten dollars. In commencing this route to Toronto from Alontreal, the traveller will have to take the stage for Machine, which runs regularly every day to meet the steam- packets ; the distance to Lachine, as already stated, is nine miles, and is performed in about an hour to the wharf, where is an ample attendance of porters belonging to the Steam-packet Company, who immediately assist your lufft?age on board ; after which the steamer moves off for the village of Cascades, a distance across the river of twenty-four miles. During the passhig of this part of the river, there will be an interesting view of the islands of Heron and Nuns', situated a prospective dis- tance in the river St. Lawrence, and immediately ajaccnt to the rapids. It is deservedly worthy of remark, and the servants onboard the packet appear to have great pride in having an opportunity of pointing out to the attention of the stranger, the shigular appearance of the black inky current of water of the Ottawa or (Jrand Uiver, entering that of the river St. Lawrence at this pl'^cc ; the waters apparently nnming parallel, and not visibly inter- mingling until they come in contact with the powerful agitation of the rapids of the river St. Lawrence, below the village of Cascades. Here the passengers disembark and leave the steam-packet for the coach conveyance. The delay here is merely until the stage-coach is ready, !iU..ilJimiH'- 243 3rn cxtre- Ircd miles 110(1 in tlie n dollars. Montreal, Lucliine, .e steam- ' stated, is .uir to the belonging itely assist ner moves across the ing of tills view of the )cctive dis- ely ajaccnt rk, and the great pride [le attention black inky ?r, entering the waters ibly inter- lie powerful ence, below 5 disembark conveyance, ich is ready, and all the luggage properly and safel}' arranged, when, immediately the coach proceeds to the village of Cedars, and hence to the village of Coteau-du-lac, a, distance of sixteen miles. This village of Cascades is a small irregular and straggling built Canadian town of olden days. Here commences the short but important shore canal, which conducts the boats past the dangerous and unmanageable navigation of the Cedar rapids, of the river St. La»^rence. CoTEAU-DU-LAC. — This is another irregularly built village of Canadian architecture. This part of the route allows the interested traveller in rural economy many opportunities of observing the truly rustic, irregular, and mean looking homesteads of the Canadian farmers, in this region of the lower province of British America. Few of their habitations have the least garden or neat palling luclosure around them ; although a white painted homely made wooden cross will for the most part be observed conspicuously erected adjoining the house of the greater part of the catholic larmers ; and innumer- able will be the homely built bake-ovens observed near the door of their cottages, built on a large stump of an old tree, or upon a pile of rough logs, under which is often to be found the dog-kennel or hog-stye. This sixteen miles' !^<^age, on the north bank of the river St. Lawrence, is decidedly the most interesting as respects water scenery, between the city of Montreal and King- Btone ; from the nearness of the river, the current forming the rapids and cascades on this part of the v'// III I ml !l 'H 244 river St. Lawrence is truly astonishing, on account of its rushing down with such overwhelming rapidity, beating with the greatest violence against the thousands of huge pieces of granite roek which stud the bottom of this shallow portion of the river. Hence the waters of this part of the river, from the forcible and successive commotion which it suffers, becomes nearly white, and to a fanciful observer by a prospective view might be taken for an immense field of snow of some miles in extent ; the incessant roar from these thousands of irregular cascades, is far from being inharmonious, although certainly indescribable. This village of Coteau-du-lac is a military station, of only an inconsi- derable garrison, aud is pleasantly situated on the north bank of the river ; here every required accomodation for travellers is readily attainable in respectable hotels. Here again the traveller will navigate this mighty river, by embarking on board the steam-packet at this place for Cornwall, a further distance up the river St. liawrence of forty miles, through lake St. Francis ; which part of the journey is generally accomj)lished in about six hours Cornwall. — This improving post town is about ninety miles from Montreal, and one hundred and twenty-two from Kingstone ; with apopulidion of fifteen hundred inhabitants. Here the traveller will find him- self in the up})er province of Canada ; having passed the boundary line of demarcation of the two provinces some twenty miles. Here is the stir and noise of a place of considerable trade, and similar appearances ' r' 245 ^ I cconnt of rapidity, lioiisands e bottom le n'aters iiccessivo rliitp, and miglit be, ! miles in isands of •monious, illage of 1 ineousi- thc north modatiou lie hotels, lity ri\er, liis place jawrcnce ?li part of dx hours is about Ired and of fifteen rind him- g passed )roviuce3 oisc of a )earances i which bespeak a town growing into importance : the private buildings being well built, of respectable exterior, and visibly increasing in numbers ; with every accom- modation that good inns can afford the traveller; with churches and other useful and necessary public establishments. Dickenson's Landing. — The twelve miles' stage from Cornwall to this place, is over the roughest of roads, and through a district most wretchedly cultivated, with ill-constructed habitations. In short, this part of the route is every thing but pleasant ; excepting the rapids of the river St. Lawrence, opposite the course of this stage, called the Long Sault Rapids : the view is interesting, although rapids of vast extent have already bnen passed. Parallel to the course of this route, and between the road and the river, there is now in progress a noble shore canal, by the legislature of the upper pro- vince, which will be sufficiently wide and deep to admit the free navigation of barges and steam-packets to pass uninterruptedly these dangerous rapids. Hence too much commendation cannot be bestowed on the liberal spirit and munificence shown in this great work. Ere this steam-packets have been enabled to navigate with- r it interruption from the city of Toronto to Cornwall : and if I am not extravagantly sanguine in anticipated improvemen's, before many years pass over, this noble river will be further improved by similar capacious shore canals. This part of the route is accomplished by the stage in somew4iat more than an hour, and is the last stage X i I i If »3 2W of the coach on this line . Here ngam the traveller will em- bark ou the steamers in waiting, and will immediately proceed forward to Prescott, thirty-eight miles further. Town of Prescott.— This town is one hundred and forty miles from JMontreal, seventy-two from King- stone, and two hundred and sixty-two from the city of Toronto. This place is advantageously and pleasantly seated on the northern bank of the river St. Lawrence ; with large and convenient wharfs for landing and re- ceiving passengers and luggage, and having all the cheerful stir and confusion of a small but thriving sea- port town. The present population exceeds two thousand inhabitants. Another advantage pertaining to this place is, its being conveniently sited adjacent to a dis- trict of well cleared and cultivated land, with decidedly every prospect of further and immediate improvement. I'he town is neatly built, according to their stile of building. The shops and stores are respectable, and furnished with an ample stock of required commodities. x\t this place the noble steamers of Lake Ontario land their passengers and goods, for the convenience of the other conveyances down the river St. Lawrence, and all the adjoimng country on the course of its branches and creeks. Before the steam-packet arrives at this place, during its passjige fnmi Dickenson's Landing, the rapids of l)u])lot and Du (Jahmp will be passed through ; it merely stops to land and receive passengers, and a supply of fuel at ^YiIliamsburgh, and again leaves for another twelve miles in advance. (.)u the opposite ttBB«W W W Ig' " g W!! ' W 2JT . -.f tLp river St. Lawrence, was tbuglit tbo rcuoxvncd b,.Uk oi, ^^.^.^^ ^_^^^^^^ ,5^, ,ecoud of February, ISU. ^„j river on t.e ice before ^^^^,, ,,to .be arove tbe A„rer-.n *-- J^^ ^ ^^,,,,,,, ...passed ,.oods:uo buttle on tbeAmcnean ^^_^^^^^ ^^^^^^^ this, as a display ot '"''"'';' \- .. _,^,rmg cross-ftre «posedtoatre.e^o..aud «^^^^^^^^^^ co«,iuered, «« ,^ J' j^^^, j. attempting to take a leading on Ins lew '•"««"^'' ^oken to battery vvitU tbe bayot^, Ua ^;^;^^ _,^ pieces witb a grape 1 ■ ^^ ^ ^^^^_^^ ^,„^ .. i,„,. witbbismen, a case .bot took ,^<,„„t;„,ed --™^^-r^?:;::^:^t:r:.;iiexbansted rfy to advance, be nn. ^^^ ^^.^.^^ ^,. ^j -^ ,,g,„e- witb pain and loss 0. iJiot ■ ^.^ .„ent xvere tbese, tbe enemy ^^ ; .^^ ,.n.aster- ,11 bis ordnance, '^^^;-;° ,^^^^ „,„„,„,,« privates general's stores -.sevraloff^e ^^^^^^^^^ ^^^^^ ^^^^ ^vorc taken prisoners, vv tb sese ,,„acks,wbiebwereeons,suedtotbeilam^ ^^^^ BaocKVlLLK is tbe next 1'^-° "^ J**^ ^^^, ,,1,. leaving Preseott, and ,s -- ;'- f ; , „Uly l„ated General Sn Isaac I3>o k. J ^^^^ ^^^^ .memorable ba e . ^^^^^^^ ^^^ improvements. ■;:i::V •";;:... ebeerMlo..lugV-, con- * f i I ) t i 24S siderably elevated on the sloping shore of the river St Lawrence, is apparently dry and healthful, with apopula- tion of upwards of three thousand persevering and indus- trious colonists ; which alone is a sufficient evidence of Its pretensions to a town growing to some importance, for m Its rear is a country of the most fertile soil, and well settled with skilful agriculturists, and possesses every accommodation as to respectable hotels and stores, well furnished ^^ ith articles of British manufacture ; and may be termed the first town on entering Lake Ontario from the i.ver St. Lawrence. Here the steam-packet again merely stops to land and receiv e passengers, and immedi- ately afterwards proceeds forward to the town of King- stone ; allowing, however, a short delay for the conve- menee of passengers at Gananogue, which is likewise a nice cheerful looking village. After this the course of the route will pass through a part of the lake of the Thousand Islands, which commences at Brockville ; and then the steamer proceeds direct to Kingstone. I well remember, while travelHng this route, a mis- understanding occurred between the captain of a certain steam-packet (if I mistake not, the Black Hawk,) and a part of the passengers, and if it was not a glaring act of cruel imposition, I have no name for the affair VIZ. several who had paid their fares at Toronto as steerage passengers, had tickets to deliver to the caplin of the above named steamer, on which they had to re- embark at Kingstone, to proceed down the river St Lawrence, from the ca. tin of the packet in which am-'^ ! river St. apopula- nd indus- ideiice of tance, for and well les every )res, well and may irio from et again immedi- )f Iving- a conve- tewise a ourse of 3 of the ickville ; •ne. a mis- '' certain k,) and glaring I affair, uto, as ^aptiin to re- ^er St. which 210 they left Toronto, and to whom they had paid theic J.ey. But what was the surprise of the traveller., when they were informed that there was no steerage in this steamer, that they were to pay --^^'^'^.^^^^^^^^ they might walk the deck all night, a choice wh.ch amany submitted to rather than be robbed so barefacedly. 1 his treacherously cunning system of imposition was a daily practice, 1 was lead to believe, on several route, m North America. A gentleman from .he viciiiit> of Toronto, who saw the whole altercation, threatened to expose the nei\irious captain on his return. It is to be boped he did so, for such paltry acts of impositicui towards poor emigrants, blunt their exertion irr.a e their tempers, and stimulate what is iamiharly termed home fever. X 3 •ii. I 1 ■PI ! THE TOW-BOAT ROtlTE, FROM MONTREAL TO PRESCOTT, BY THE RIVER ST. LAWRENCE. This is the original road to the upper province, and if I were allowed to advise, I would counsel no emigrant to venture himself and family on so disagreeable a route. The distance being about one hundred and fifty miles : fare, one dollar. The construction of these boats is very inconvenient, they being little better than a floating raft of timber, and are of about twenty tons burden, and are dragged by horses above one half of the route at a very slow pace, while passing through canals, which are con- structed just within the shore of the river St. Lawrence. Thus by this route the poor emigrant is exposed to the open air all weathers, good or bad, day and night ; perhaps the only shelter being a piece of coarse canvas thrown over family and luggage altogether. On the whole, for emigtants with large families and cumbersome luggage, destined for the upper province of British America from the lower province, the Redeau canal is their only proper route, at least for the present. TOWN OF KINGSTONE. OTT, e, and if migrant a route. r miles : is very ing raft and are a very re con- jv^renee. 1 to the perhaps thrown ole, for a from proper Kingstone stands on the north bank of the eastern extremity of Lake Ontario, is distant two hundred and twelve miles from Montreal ; five hundred and eighty-two from the city of Quebec, and one hundred and ninety miles from the city of Toronto. This is a place of great trade and importance to the surrounding country. The town is advantageously seated, and is well built with good substan- tial houses, with a population of upwards of five thousand inhabitants, and is rapidly increasing by the arrival of emigrants. The public edifices of this place are numerous and showy, with appropriate religious establishments, and good seminaries, ably conducted, suitable to every grade of society. The hotels corres- pond equally in respectability, and the shops and stores are well furnished with choice commodities, suitable to the wants of the extensive neighbouring settlements. On the western border of this town stands the peniten- tiary of this province, which is a fine massive structure, equally ornamental and useful; where penance is enjoined to the worthless and unreel aimable members of society ; and where the most ignorant is taught some useful art or handy craft, prior to being again let loose on society. The commerce of this port is very consider- m 252 'p. I •I i able, and is steadily on the increase ; in short, Kingstone is the second port of this province of upper Canada. Here is a respectable post-office, bank, and newspaper establishments, which certainly are no bad criterion of a towns importance ; but on the contrary, they atford evidence of the growing prosperity of a new settlement, and bespeak a praiseworthy zeal for the improvement of the whole community. At this place the river Cataraqui is crossed by a large and neat bridge, at which com- mences the navigation of the Redeau canal ; the im- portance of which has already been sufficiently described, as being the canal connection between Lake Ontario and the Ottawa or CiJrand Ri\-er ; or between the upper and lower provinces of Canada. Thus every opportunity of daily communication, at once expeditious and of course convenient, is offered to the traveller or tourist to any part of the provinces of British America or the Uniied States. This place is the general rendezvous of the steam-packets and small craft employed wholly on Lake Ontario, and on the numerous rivers of the whole surrounding fertile country ; which is exceedingly well settled with industrious emigrants, a vast number of which are British; who find in this neighbourhood a rich soil, and an excellent market for their superfluous produce. This is a strongly fortified town, with a numerous garrison, the soldiers' quarters being delight- fully situated on the rising ground on the bank of the river. The site of the fortification is immediately opposite the town, on a promontory called Point Frederick; andmost assuredly, from their advantages and command- ^Sf^P- it * I ingstone Ciimida. 'wspaper terioii of iy afford tlcment, Bment of ataraqui ih. com- tlie ini- 35 of the city. How- e\er, m all probability, they will ere long^gi/p place to more suitable and ornamental sinictu-'es, demanded by '.he increasing importance of the place. The Episcopalian and Catholic chur* lios are mdced toler;xble buildings, as arc i\w c- (pcV' of the other part of the religious community of mis ci'y The college aV,a is an establishment which can boc'.:v' of a beaut if'nl I 1 I \./Af,»jr ''■'^iik- 259 ing Lake spondiug for the in nuiD- ary, and hs. The lit man- m of un- 3xtensive ^erament tahlished LOU of the ces of the ;rant who apply on li'rticulur of prrcat purchase, i su'uJjly I w) /I no t erected, ty. How- ^ place to landed by ire indeed other part le college , bean til 111 and extensive pile of convenient buildings, every way commodious and suitable for a seminary of learning, and is most satisfactorily conducted by masters of due prol^-iency in tlioir several departments. Thus every advantage of education is tendered to the youth of this province in particular, on the most liberal terms. As might be anticipated, the students are numerous and respectable, which must be a source of high gratification to the liberal promoters of this all-important scholastic establishment. Another establishment in this city, which is no less valuable and equally necessary to all towns of import- ance, is a spacious public hospital, which Is liberally conducted, und where medical oflicers of the highest professional talents attend to the numerous applicants for medical aid. The banks of this city are highly respectable firms; at the time of my visit, there was some trifling misunderstanding amongst them. However, for the most part, these establishments have the full con- fidence of their surrounding agricultural neighbours, the business being transacted on the most liberal terms by these important establishments. The buildings them- selves are appropriate, and bespeak great respectability. The Po; x-Office.— This public mstitution occupies a nice new building, nearly in the centre of ii;o town, from whence the mails depart daily, on the main routes, to all the surrounding inhabited parts of the provinces. The Gaol and Court HousE.—These two buUd- iugs are very inferior as to architectural beauty and Y 2 "^yg'ffiig ' 'i i' i I '" iiHEjm i ' 2G0 convenience, they are very similarly constructed build- ings, and are situated in a spacious ar ja, towards the centre of the city, and arc nearly adjoining. The gaol is very unsuitable, and will soon be replaced by a prison more commodious, and with some claims to architectural beauty, which the magistracy have for sometime had it in contemplation to erect. However, such a building has now become really necessary, from the vast increase of the population of the city, and the surrounding dis- tricts ; of course a coriesponding increase of crime must be looked for. Toronto is a fortified city, defended by extensive works, and a numerous garrison. The site of the citadel is to the westward of the town, on a promontory of Lake Ontario, which commands the adjacent beautiful bay. If I was not misinfornied, while visiting this place of arms, these extensive fortifications have been ordered by the Government to be removed, and other works more formidable and impregnable to be erected, accord- ing to the present improved plans of fortification, and more corresponding to the increasing importance of this capital of the province, on a more suitable peninsula, some distance beyond the ramparts. However, ulthongh the p'-osent range of fortifications may appear weak, Canada is uncoiKpierable by the enemies of Great- Britain; and will continue so until the inhabitants forget their native valour, the boast of their country, the land of their forefathers, the land of the brave. During the last V7ar, when this place £;carcely hud an existence, it 2G1 3d build- rards the The gaol a prison litectural ne had it building t increase ding dis- ime must 'xtensive 3 of the iniontoiy beautiful his place . ordered 3r works , accord- ion, and ee of this 3niusula, iilthongh ir weak, f Great- ats forget the land iriijg the tenee, it was repeatedly assaulted by the Americans. At this place, the American commanding officer, General Pike, was killed with nearly four hundred of his men, by the acci- dental explosion of a powder magazine, while advancing to attack the British forces, under the command of the brave General Sheaffe. And again unfortunately it was destined to suffer from milityry operations ; for in July, the year following, the Americans landed and destroyed all the property iind private stores of the poor defence- less inhabitants of this then straggling village, and afterwards ignobly took to their boats. 3uch were the military ravages to which this place was exposed during the last American war. Newspapers. — The weekly publications of this city are ample, and respectably conducted by editors of known talents ; hence they have extensive circulation in town and country. Newspapers in America are extraordina- rily cheap, compared with the cost of similar publications in England.* The price of one of these weekly news- papers, is four dollars per annum ; the half year's due beingpaid in advance ; a common practice ui this western world. There are also other publications issued from the press of this place, which would do credit to older printing establishments. • Since writing the above, the stamp duty on British newspapers has been reduced to one penny each paper, by an act of last sessions of Tarliament, which came into operation on the loth of September last ; whereby the British newspapers, considering their size and vast mass of information, are now considerably clieaper than any American ne wspapcr- not txcepling the boa.sled fr^ce press sheet! of the United States. 'Y 3 262 The Trade. — This is really a commercial city, for the lines of shops which ornament the most public streets, are not dissimilar or inferior to the like shops in England; being amply stored and tastefully deco- rated with commodities of every description and quality of British manufacture. The general practice of store- keeping, so universal throughout this continent, seems to be discontinued here, for each individual attends strictly to his own studied trade and profession. The chief articles of export from this place, particularly down the river St. Lawrence, are wheat, flour, potash, pearlash, furs, &c. The iMarket — The new market-house is not inferior to any luiilding in the city, for extent and usefulness ; and the edifice displays a conspicuous and ornamental front, particularly when viewed from the lake. It is a substantial brick building, approaching to an oblong, with four arched entrances. The main entrance is very showy, by having, in addition to the beautiful arches, massive and ornamental iron gates, over which is held, I believe, the Mayor's Court for the trial of slight offences. The interior, a spacious area, is sur- rounded by clean and convenient retail shops of the butchers ; which apparently are well furnished with the choicest of meat according to the demand in the suc- cessive seasons. There is no fish market within this market area, the fish being as yet sola on the lake shore, or in the boats, immediately on arrival, and is chiefly of the following variety — salmon, white herrings, eels, both of which kinds of fish are remarkably large ; with T !%■-, 263 2ity, for t public :e sliops y deco- quality )f store - :, seems attends 1. The ticiilarly potasli, ; inferior (fulness ; lamental It is a oblong, ranee is beautiful 3r which trial of , is sur- 3 of the with the the suc- thin this xc shore, s chiefly gs> eels, l^e ; with bass, and other sorts of fish, common natives of fresh water lakes and rivers. The adjoining harbour of Lake Ontario is extensive and excellent, affording a safe anchorage to the shipping of these inland seas, with superior and convenient wharfs for the embarking and disembarking of passengers and luggage from the numerous steam-packets which ply in every direction across this immense lake. Hence To- ronto is a /«Ae-port of no inferior rank ; and the day is near at hand when ships of large burden, direct from Great-Britain, will be seen riding majestically on Lake Ontario, and disembarking merchandise and passengers at the wharfs of this city ; where, in return, she will embark a cargo of the produce of the colony. The environs of this city can boast of several neat mansions, the residences of the respectability, with ex- tensive and well-planned grounds ; although inferior in design and execution to similar enclosures of pleasure- grounds in Europe, on account of wanting the excellent quickwood fences, evergreens, and variety of roses, so ornamental and indispensable to such grounds in Europe. Such plants, for the most part, if they survive the winters of this continent, degenerate rapidly, so as scarcely to resemble the kind of plant of England. f rr=-£-v,i«i. ^> ROUTE FROM TORONTO TO PENETANGU ISH IxN'E. 4 Young Street is the name of tliis the direct and main road northward to Lakes Simcoe and Huron. That part of this route which is properly termed Young Street, is about forty miles in length ; commencing 'oX the city of Toronto, and terminating at Holland's Landhig, the place of embarkation in crossing Lake Simcoe. On this part of the route, between Toronto and Holland's Land- ing, there is a daily stage-coach every morning from Toronto, about sevou o'clock ; fare, two dollars. How- ever, it is highly proper that the emigrant proceeding by this route, on the score of economy, should leisurely engage a light waggon, for the conveyance of his family and luggage. This is a business easily accomplished, as there is lull attendance of porters, waggoners, and hotel footmen, on the wharfs of Toronto, to be in readi- ness for travellers on the arrival of the steam-packets. The stranger will be highly delighted on travelling over the first three miles of the Young Street road, for ■L. 265 SHIN E. ;t find main ron. Thut Dung Street, id the city anding, the 36. On this md's Land- irning from ars. How- oceeding by Id leisurely »f his family complished, goners, and bo in readi- m-packets. a travelling !et road, for the reason of its being new, and made of best broken stone, according to the present improved system of road making ; and, in fact, it is certainly the best piece of road, nay, I might have said, the only portion of good road in this continent, and is really a treat to an American traveller. It is kept in repair, as usual, by a toll-bar, the first and only one in Canada. This piece of road was suggested and carried into execution experi- mentally, and it is much to be regretted that the experiment was not made on a more extensive scale at first. However, necessity, if not utility, will ere long extend this line of broken stone road considerably. After leaving this excellent stone road, which unfortu- nately is a meagre portion of Young Street highway, the traveller then will have an opportunity of observing the striking contrast between a broken stone road, and a real x\merican road. As to rural improvments, tiiere is no part of the province which has so vastly progressed in throwing off its wildness of aspect, and putting on that of civilization, as this ; the whole of this route from Toronto to Holland's Landing, at least, being one chain of respectable farm- houses, studding an extensive tract of reclaimed forest land, under the most approved system of cultivation, with neat and thriving wood built villages every few miles, and innumerable road-side public-houses and taverns, some of which are respectably conducted, par- ticularly Montgomery's, which is situated about six miles from the city ; and Mair's, about fourteen miles further. The inhabitants of this famous Street are t^ 266 chiefly emigrants from the ol(' country, and particularly from Yorkshiro. The land through which this route passes for the first stage, is a light and unproductive soil ; after which it gradually improves, and soon becomes excellent and productive; and the tracts of such land which is cleared adjoining both sides of this public road, are extensive and beautiful ; the aspect of which is mate- rially improved by being backed by the primeval forest. The population adjacent to this route is great, and the trade on this line of main road of course proporti- onal ; which fact will soon discover itself to the traveller, by the immense number of light waggons which he will meet during a journey on this road, each team at full trot, their usual mode of travelling, and drawn by pairs of well selected horses. The scenery of this route is not singularly interesting ; however, there are some peculiarities worthy of remark, particularly at that part of the road called Hogg's Hollow ; where, as the name implies, is an immense valley or hollow. Here the scenery is somewhat wild and romantic, although impaired in degree by successive acts of industry. At the bottom of the dale, is a com- pact village, with extensive water mill works. On again proceeding forward a few miles, on a rising ground to tb- west of the road, will be noticed a remarkably plain their pensions prior toleavin g j^^^,,,,,. the north-east ot tue vu%% , -n- n. with r 1. stands two noble hewn .tone bmldv^.'s, wit cnem). At a sic^ ^^^^ .^ ^ fortifications, and m nearly tUe .mall island of pieture.,ue appearance, c. .b .c C:Z«>^^-er,a«nc»a..e.J>.«».-eJ villus, tlie residences of the officers ^^ '' *"^ °^ Here is »u extensive store of P™"; - '^^ f^ commodities belonging to government, this bein, 9\% —.•i- :| I ' ii •*f 272 last extensive depot from whence the northern overland expeditions are continued ; within this store house is deposited a large and elegant bark canoe, which I was informed was the one used by Captain Franklin, in his northern expedition. The chief settlements alongthe course of Young Street are Vaughan, and King ; both of which places are situated on the west side of this renowned street, and about twenty miles from the city of Toronto. New- market is about thirty miles from the city, and is situated to the east of the street, upwards of two miles, and has a population which exceeds five hundred iuhabaitants. At this place there are valuable water privileges, or in other words, a powerful stream of water is made available in working extensive machinery for com and sawing mills, as also . carding mill, though of inconsiderable extent. The stores and road-side public houses in this district aiford excellent accommodation to the traveller. The chief settlern of this part of the province, and more particularly in the neighbourhood of Newmarket, are Quakers, who are great agriculturists. Hope.— This village is sometimes called * David's Town,' from being the residence of that singular and eccentric character, Mr. David Wilson, the respectable founder of this village, some twenty years ago. This village is also to the east of Young Street, about three miles, and upwards of four miles from the above village of Newmarket, and is most decidedly the neatest village I ahnost ever witnessed m the inhabited wilds of North i: I -i 273 America ; the surrouiidlng lands were so prettily cleared, the fields being conveniently divided by snake fences ; substantial, and erected witli the greatest ingenuity and regularity ; with spacious green swarth roads ; com- pletely cleared of loose logs and old tree stumps ; a scene very unusual on this continent. The site of tliis village is interestingly chosen on the slope of a gradually rising ground. Tn the rear, on its brow, is bordered the remains of the broken forest. It is a regular and well built village, with a present population of upwards of three hundred inhabitants. Here is situated the pyramidal built temple of the religious community of Davidites. The dimensions of this showy built edifice are about seventy feet square, and the same apparently in height ; the exterior is painted exceedingly white, which has a good effect by its contrast with its neigh- bouring forest's dark foliage ; on the top of the spire is a large gilded ball. The interior is equally handsome, with numerous chairs, instead of benches, for the con- gregation. Near to this structure are two others, also of wood ; the one which is yet unfinished is of large dimensions, but of beautiful proportions ; the other, an defiant little building of fanciful architecture, is termed David's Study. This religious community have David Wilson for their leader in all affairs, religion, law, politics, and agriculture. This' singular character is a Quaker dissenter, with the appearance and gait of a naval officer, very homely in his manners and habits ; his preaching is equally straight forward and original on all occasions ; z 3 274 the same maj be said of his discourses, which he pub- lishes at irregular mter^^als. It is his regular cu. torn, once a month, to preach at the citj of Toronto ; accom- panied hy his singing ladies, or virgins, as he terms them; the whole company being transported the whole distance, which is nearly thirty miles, in a couple of light waggons belonging to the community. There is an annual feast kept by this society, which is well attended by crowds of strangers, purely as a matter of curiosity; the ceremonies are attended with singing, music, and other demonstrations of joyful proceedings ; and the virgins, amongst other manceuvres, are taught some rudiments in martial exercise, and are able to fire a platoon of musketry with such steadiness and precision, as would do credit to a professed soldier of the Americaa States. The public have free access to the religious worship of this sect, on all occasions ; although I am not aware that either the rites of marriage or burial are ever performed by this eccentric individual; yet that is of little moment apparently, in this thinly populated colony, where the chief burial ground of the family is frequently, in the remote settlements, on the proprietor's own terri- tories; probably in the orchard, or on the border of the forest ; the place of interment being marked by rustic palisades. David Wilson has repeatedly, as already observed, published sermons or religious remarks ; his last publication was entitled * Wilson's fmpressions of the Mind'; having accidentally met this strange character on my route from Canada, with this liis lust 1 275 volume in his hand, which I pnrchased ; he at the same time did not forget to request of me to remit him a celebrated pamphlet,* of the Yorkshire press, on church reform, of which he had heard such a renowned character. Of course I promised to gratify his curiosity, for the urbanity shewn to me while visiting his temple. • The author, according to his promise, transmitted to the en- quirer, Mr. David Wilson, a copy of ' R. M. Beverley's Letter to His Grace the Archbishop of York on the corrupt state of the church of England,' with other pamphlets by the same author, advocating the measure of church reform. The unprecedented sale of these pamphlets were truly astonishing ; although it may be granted, thousands were bought as a matter of curiosity ; still the same fact speaks volumes in favour of the public wishing to know and correct real ab ^es. Again it will be allowed, that 3ome parts, at least, of this highly respectable and talented author's writings are not incor- rect indexes to point to imperfections of importance, scarcely known to the unthinking public till demonstrated by an able and undaunted pen. ,^ ^OUTEFROM THECITVorxOKONXOTO.aNDAS. Street TI,. " fiimiliarl^. called Dimda, isireet. i he course of this «ifro„t ■ • "™''''» western shores of Lake O ? " "'"'"' *">• ""^ coach route froi t, Str '''/■' "'^ "'''>-'»oe- Ms, and the United ^.td"' "'''/'^°"^" hundred miles in lei,<.th Z , "P™"''^' "'' °°« course it is the lonii^r^'"" '» '"--ve,; of this route leads thro 1 " ""'"'•'• ^''^ ""e of ,1, T , , "'rough au imposing nart nf P i the land bemg rich and producti/o ..nd; "'^ ^'"""'»' speaking, remarkably iu l^V . ' T'"''""*''''^- -ener, touching „pi t S':; r'"-^" ^ «'« occasionally bold and r„m„ 7 '= '""'' "'"1 «bcteen Miie Creek wl'T"' '''"""'"'^- ^° "' "'^ of nature so lTe\t LT^yrlr^"^"'- « greatly enhanced b^ Z^J' *™!^"^''' -''-■' high grounds of Lake olrio """ '"^ ""^ HuRONTARIO.^An Tnfl,-nn , Ml 277 UN DAS. tropolis of d Diindas it hy the 1I7 stage- Niagara s of one rvej; of le line of Canada, trativel^ cd; the ne, and at the "ildness which 3m the I numerous. However, here are religious and scholastic establishments, conducted by able and experienced ministers and teachers. Hence this tribe of native Indians, the relic of the followers of the brave aborigi- nal chief Tecumseh, have advantageous offers of edu- cation for their rising generation. DuNDAS. — This is one of the most picturesque towns in North-America, and is situated in the immediate neighbourhood of the head of Lake Ontario. It is a considerable and well built place, and is sited on the brow of a hill, with a river in the adjoining dale. The trade of this improving place is great in extent and variety J and the posting houses are respectable and convenient. From this place there is a dai- coach to Hamilton, Niagara Falls, London, and ' fi-om hence also is a canal to Hamilton, a dist^ about five miles. route ; t very i ll) ROUTE FROM TORONTO, TO HAMILTON AND LONDON. I The first part of this route is hy water, hence this is the onlj proper and convenient route for emigrants with heavy luggage and numerous family. The distance from Toronto to Hamilton is about forty miles, by steam-packet, across the western part of Lake Ontario. Fare, for best cabin, two dollars ; for the steerage or deck passenger, one dollar. During the whole of the trip the steamer generally keeps at an agreeable distance from the shore, which increases much the pleasure of the voyage: for the view oft! surround'ng forest, intersected with extensive tracts of cultivated land, dotted with the usual white showy cottages and villages. Adjoining to these are commodious wharfs, upon which is piled a long range of wood billets, for the convenience of the packets ; which is readily put on board while the pro- cess of landing and receiving passengers is going forward. Prior to arriving at Hamilton, the steamer will pass through a short but interesting canal, 'vh^'ch is cut 279 :)N. ice this i» rants witli distance miles, by Ontario, eerage or le of the ! distance ire of the tersected ted with Uljoiuing s piled a :e of the the pro- forwjird. nil pass 1 is cut ■J ii through a bank crossing the western part of Lake On- tario, forming a sheet of water called Burlington Bay, which is of great beaut}' and vast magnitude, bemg up- wards of fifteen thoasand acres; and from its depth, and toing admirably sheltered from every tempest, it offers a safe harbour of anchorage to an immense fleet. The rising ground adjoining, and northward of the bay, is termed Burlington Heights, which is a fortified station, that at all times can in an eminent degree com- mand this important anchorage. On ^hese heights, in June, 18] 3, was fought a desperate battle between the British and American armies. The British attacked the American camp early in the morning, drove them from their ground, took both the generals and a numerous body of prisoners, with several guns. The British en- gaged in this brilliant affair, only amounted to about seven hundred men ; the American army amounted to nearly four thousand. The remainder of the Americans, with their commander, were taken prisoners a few days afterwards ; and this was the last act of hostility be- tween these contending parties, previous to the final retreat of the Americans. Hamilton. — The wharfs or landing place leading up to this town are situate on the western shore of Bur- lington Bay. The town is situated about a mile from the place of landing, at the head of Lake Ontario ; and is distant from the most important towns of the province as follows: it is forty miles from Toronto; five miles from Dundas ; eighty from Niagara Falls ; and ninety i Ml m\ k ^ ..^JB I ^1 280 from London : the fare, four dollars hy the stage coach. On the whole, it is a properly built town ; the streets are wide and straight, and intersected at right angles ; hence the handsome uniformity of the town. This new founded town has all the advantages of divers religious establish- ments ; the structure of which edifices are of tolerable architecture, as is likewise the court house, which is seated in a large area, and is a showy building. The shops and hotels of Hamilton arp highly respectable looking buildings, affording every accommodation to travellers. Here is a post-office establishment, weekly newspapers, and a present population of about two thousand inhabitants. Hamilton is seated in a low situation, although considerably above the waters of Lake Ontario, and is apparently a tolerably wealthy town, allowmg its short career ; and is rapidly increas- ing by a steady influx of newly arrived emigrants. Here is all that stir of activity so essential to the well being of a town of daily augmenting commerce ; the result of its advantageous situation as a /«A:e-port of first rank being fronted by the immense Lake Ontario, and backed in the rear by an extensive district of well inhabited agriculturists. Hence the cause of the fast increasing value of every description of property in this region of the province is easily explained. The traveller destined for the west'^rn parts of Canada will take the stage for London, and will pass through the romantic town of Dundas ; being the first five miles' stage J where the coach merely stops for the convenience tage coach, s streets are jles ; hence 3W founded 3 establish- f tolerable , which is •mg. The •espectable Ddation to it, weekly about two in a low waters of y wealthy y increas- ats. Here veil being i result of rst rank, id backed inhabited Qcrcasing region of f Canada I through ve miles' venience 281 of passengers and mail. Therefore, after watering the horses and receiving the letter-bags, the coach proceeds to the next important town called Ancaster, which is a considerably large town or settlement of olden times ; and is now a place of great trade. This is evident from every thing about the place, more especially from the neatness and commodiousness displayed throaghout. The merchants of this town being wealthy and zealous promoters of improvements. Prior to the coach arriving at this postnig town, the traveller will be sensible of the roughness of a journey on these Canadian highways, as the road of the whole of this first stage is singularly bad ; and where the coachman or proprietor will more than once alight and solicit the passengers to treat themselves with a walk up the steep and ever moun- tainous part of the road, which will probably be ex- tremely dirty and full of gaping chasms, as already described. After leaving this place, where the time of delay is short, merely sufficient to allow a change of horses, and to accommodate the passengers, the coach proceeds forward to Brantf(jrd, where the traveller for the west will have to remain during the night. Brantford.— Here the traveller will arrive in the early part of the evening of the first day from Hamilton, and will depart about five o'clock on the following morn- ing for London. From the incredible number of frame buildings which will be observed springing up in every direction in this town, it will be evident to the most 2 a li i m fi i 282 \ f !i M 'I careless observer, that it is wholly a modern settlement. The hotels, the stores, the public and religious estab- lishments of this place, seem to predict its future pros- perity and importance. I'he adjoining woodland country is rapidly becoming settled with British emi- grants of industrious habits, the land for the most part being rich and fertile, and differhig from any other part of Canadii in this, that it is thinly covered with forest trees of low stature. I would advise the traveller, if convenient, to remain a day at this place and take an excursion to view the wildness of the scenery along the serpentine course of the Grand River, which is in the immediate neighbourhood of this town. Likewise, bor- dering on this settlement, is an extensive colony of native Indians. The Indian village is straggling, being void of the least possible pretence to regularity of civilization their shantees or log hovels, their small patches of agri- culture, or gardens adjoimng their huts, have a most wretched appearance ; which demonstrates clearly their inattention or disinclination to farming avocations. Few districts in the whole province offer the like ad- vantages with this, to the tourist ; whose curiosity will lead him to observe the manners, habits, and peculi- arities of this untaught race. Every evening small groups of these natives, of every age and sex, will be seen parading the streets of this place during the summer, .soiling their wild fruits, and perhaps somewhat the worse for v\hiskoy. This is the last town, on this long route to London, worthy of particular remark. '% ^i I < I 283 ettlement. •us estab- ure pros- woodland tisli emi- most part )tlier part dtli forest iveller, if d tako an ilong the is in the rise, bor- of native g void of Lzation — 3 of agri- B a most irl^j- their oeations. like ad- 3sitj will 1 peculi- ig small , will be summer, le worse Qg route Immediately after departing from this place, and passing over a large and beautiful wooden bridge of complex construction over the (rrand River, the road extends through immense forest wilds ; however, there will be intervening considerable patches of reclaimed and cultivated lands ; with numerous straggling wooden built villages and shantees, until within the territories of the London district ; when the tracts of cultivated laud become more expanded, and the better constructed wooden mansions bespeak further advances in farming improvements. London. — This immature, although important, county town stands delightfully on the north bank of the River Thames, the outlet of which is into Lake St. Clair. This river is not navigable so far into the interior as London, although it is in contemplation to attempt that advantageous object. It is distant, west- ward of Toronto, upwards of one hundred and thirty miles; ninety from Hamilton, and about fifty from Godrich, another important settlement, north of lion- don and on the shores of Lake Huron. The tide of emigration has of late years flowed rapidly and unceasingly into this western portion of British America, so much so that old colonists have been led, by exaggerated and reported advantages of settlers, to be so unwise and uncircumspect as to dis- pose of their well-cultivated establishments, and become emigrants into these wilds, to inhabit the log hovel and again commence the life of a new settler. If I am not 2a2 'T 284 mistaken, a great many of these forest adventurers have wofullj regretted having so unadvisedly quitted their former abode, on such unwarrantable expectations of im- provement. However, I will acknowledge, the soil of this remote district is, with few exceptions, of the lirst quality : though thickly clad with an immense forest of hard wood, chiefly including oak, elm, ash, bass, and maple ; the pine being a rare tr^e in this western forest, in particular circuits. As to the agricultural condition of this settlement, it is not without good and extensive clearances; with in- numerable farms, under a state of excellent tillage ; and abundantly stocked with cattle of every description] and of the best breed imported from England ; and is' also very productive in grain, of the best quahty and of vast variety. The town of London is an improving place, although not at the rate so extravagantly and vaguely rcporte'd and believed, by the dissatisfied portion of the settlers in the lower provinces. The present population is up- wards, some trifle, of two thousand inhabitants, with numerous stores and hotels of no mean respectability. The approach to this place is very enchanting to the traveller, from the distant view, through an aperture in the forest, of the castellated court-house, which stands on the elevated bank of the River Thames. But the exalted expectations of the traveller are soon unde- ceived on entering the town, as the buildings are very irregular; with few really respectable looking exteriors. i irers have tted their onsof im- he soil of ' the lirst ; forest of 3ass, and rn forest, Bment, it with in- ; tillage ; scription, ■ ; and is y and of although ■cported, settlers n is u]j- its, with !tabilitj. ? to the ?rture in fi stands But the i unde- ire very cteriors. I 1 285 However, the greatest annoyance to the visitor, is the unsightly appearance of the great number of old and newly-erected and unfinished frame houses, of ruined speculators ; in town lots of building ground. A build- ing lot is half an acre, and the purchaser is compelled to erect the frame of a house on the lot, as a qualifi- cation to entitle him to receive his deed of purchase from government. The land (or lot, as it is termed) is a gift, with the proviso that the proprietor pay thirty-two dollars for his deed ; which is a ruinous high price to commence such speculations, and is the pri- mary cause of so many lots remaining unfinished. Talbot Settlement is an extensive tract of country, a few miles further to the westward of this place, in the centre of which is the residence of the singularly eccentric gentleman. Colonel Talbot, who has been a long resident in this district of Canada, with the greatest advantage to the new and neighbouring settlers. From this gentleman the most accurate in- formation can be readily obtained by proper application. His long residence, and of course practical knowledge of the provincial affairs, entitle his opinions to the grateful attention of the emigrants in search of local information. ^r 2 A3 I ' . ! ' HOUTE FROM TORONTO, TO THE FALLS OF NIAGARA :r In commencing this the most interesting route of the provinces, the tourist will embark on the beautiful little steam-packet * Canada,' which leaves the harbour of the city every morning about seven o'clock, for the town of Niagara ; and returns to the city, to the same situation, in the evening about the same hour ; performing the journey between the city and town of Niagara in about five hours, a distance of forty miles. Ft* res, best cabin, two dollars ; steerage, one dollar. The whole of this trip is across the waters of Lake Ontario, which will afford the traveller an opportunity of finding himself, probably for the first time, out of sight of land while navigating a sheet of fresh water, a voyage of curiosity to an European. Hence during these lake voyages there is no necessity of furnishing the vessels with casks of water, the well being over the bulwarks of the steam- ers^ and is moreover the choicest of waters. 287 VRA ute of the itiful little Dourofthe lie town of ! situation, >rming the a, in about )est cabin, )le of this which will g himself, and while f curiosity Q voyages with casks :he steam- The town of NiAGARA.-Thc situation of this place is extremely pleasant and commanding on the high western shore of the River Niagara, at its entrance into Lake Ontario. It is an old founded town, with a numer- ous population of highly respectable merchants and traders of every kind. The edifices dedicated to religion are fine showy buildings on open sites, forming interest- ing objects of view to the voyager on Lake Ontario. The chapels belonging to the other part of the religious com- munity, are likewise commodious buildings, whilst the greater part of the private establislunents are of corres- ponding importance. This is a place of considerable trade, particularly in ship building, conducted by an eminently respectable company. At the time of my visit to this place, there was a steam-packet of large dimensions on the stocks, nearly completed ; and other ships, equally large, in a state of forwardness. And adjoining the ship yards, in the immediate neighbourhood of the docks, was the building of a foundry, and the foundations of other extensive works. This is a fortified town of much celebrity. In fact, here are two forts, hence the north and south sides of the town are admi- rably secured. Fort George, the name of one of these forts, has a formidable appearance ; the bastions of which are favourably observed from the lake. To the south- west of the town is the race- course, on the western bor- ders of which is a showy range of buildings, the quarters of the officers ; and in tlic immediate neighbourhood are other extensive buildings, to accommodate a numerous m \ f I >1 f i I ilih 288 garrison. Adjoining to which are a long line of sheds, for government stores and artillery. This was a place of considerable strength and importance during the last American war, and was the theatre of many interesting and momentous military encounters. QUEENSTOWN is seven miles to the south-west of the town of Niagara ; or in other words, is exactly midway to the celebrated falls, whither there is a daily stage coach. This place is full of interest, being also the field of important events. This is a very old settled town, and has probably improved as little of late years, or less, than any other town in the whole of this conti- nent. It is situated at the base of a beautiful rising ground called Queenstown Heights. On the summit of which was erected a beautiful monumental column, by the British Government, in 1834, to the memory of the late brave General Brock ; w^io fell mortally wound- ed near this spot, while gallantly leading forward his brave followers, (October 12th, 1812,) in one of the most severely contested battles on record ; for the British fought like lions for upwards of eight hours after losing their gallant commander, and need no other eulogium than the fact, that the British loss did not exceed two hundred men, killed, wounded, and missing ; while the American army lost, in killed, wounded, and missing, above two thousand ; and also a thousand, with their commander, surrendered to tlie victorious British. In this engagement the Indian allies were commanded by their celebrated brave chief and warrior Norton; whose zeal y e of slieds, vas a place ng the last interestiug •west of tlie tly midway daily stage g also the old settled late years, this coiiti- tiful rising he summit al column, memory of Ily wound- )rward his of the most :he British ifter losing • eulogium xceed two : while the id missing, with their ritish. In Handed by whose zeal II » NIAGARA, FROM BELOW. I ':-*. ^ I 289 and undaunted gallantry animated his followers to acts of valour which added much to the fortunate issue of the day. On leaving this place for the celebrated Falls, seven miles further south, the route lies directly past Brock's monument, as it is familiarly termed. This elegant cohimn is one hundred and twenty-six feet in height, and from its elevated site it is four hundred and seventy-six feet above the River Niagara. The coach stops at this place awhile for the accommodation of those travellers who wish to have a hasty view from the top ; admittance to which is readily obtained by paying to the 'porter in attendance, one shilling. A view from this great elevation is of immense extent, and extremely grand ; comprising the River Niagara below, dashing with its rapid and winding current into Lake Ontario. The towns of Queenstown, Lewistown, Fort George, and Niagara, are conspicious objects worthy the attention of the tourist, and the admirer of Nature's most expansive scenery. The most extreme distant view is to the north- east, across the broad surface of Lake Ontario ; the whole being surrounded by an immense forest, some of which yet remains pathless and nearly untrodden. Before leaving this handsome pillar, the visitor will learn from the attendant that the mortal remains of the brave General whose name it bears, and his equally brave aid-de-camp, Colonel McDonald, were lately deposited therein: — Brock and Mc Donald, here two heroes sleep Their death was glorious. Britons, cease to weep. iio ; f M' iWK n' i y* fci I The Falls of Niagara— Every foreigner who perchance visits thi«5 -vestera continent with the least pretensions to intellectual curiosity, will not fail to make an excursion to this formi^lable and deservedly celebrated natural phenomenon of North America. On the stranger's first view of this wonder-striking scene, he can scarcely believe himself perfectly safe. The beginning of this overwhelming current's rush, may be distinctly observed more than half a mile up the River Niagara, where it is a mile broad, and very deep, and is by experiment calculated to have a fifty feet descent in this half mile. However this pari of the river, to an inattentive observer, is apparently passable, and that without peril, which treacherous aspect has been the cause of many melancholy accidents, as the attempt is attended with inevitable destrr.otioa, the v^'olmce of the current dashing to atom.s the boat and men against the innumerable huge masses of granite rock which line the channel of the river, long prior to the possibility of a boa. arriving at the grand cresce vt or horse-shoe fall. Howe^-er, there is another singular feature in this river, that prior to the current arrivhig at the falls it becomes perfectly smooth, as if to all appearance it was preparing itself for the en- counter. Hence on viewing the ..ngry rolling stream it is truly grand, by its foaming appearance from being so violently and repeatedly beaten against the rocky channel by the current, which runs at the rate of six miles per hour at the least ; and is divided by a little ^11 HI ? \ reigiicr who ith the least I not fail to .d deservedly th America. )iider-strikiug jerfectly safe, iirrent's nish, half a mile le broad, and ated to have However this •, is apparently h treacherous r melancholy dth inevitable shing to atoms e huge masses [ of the river, irriving at the e^'er, there is at prior to the rfectly smooth, :self for the en- Dlling stream it Lice from being linst the rocky the rate of six ided by a little island called neat's Island, to the very verg« of the awfully perpendicular precipice of nearly two hundred feet, where instantly down pours this immeasurable mass of water, computed at one million tons per hour, in one unbroken current of white foam, into the un- fathomed abyss ; forming the most noble and sublime cataract in the world. The rolling and bounding of this column of water in the gulph below, causes the very earth to tremble underfoot, accompanied by an incessant roar; which it is asserted has been heard, when the atmosphere was favourable, at the city of Toronto, a distance of about fifty miles across Lake Ontario. At first view of this mighty phenomona the visitor becomes chilled, discouraged, and inactive with awe and consternation. However, these indescribable feelings after awhile subside, and give place to other sensations of a more agreeable nature. After the mind has recovered its wonted energy, which is really requisite to be enabled to calmly gaze on the wonderful working of this foaming gulph, another singular effect of this extraordinary cascade is produced by the immense clouds of tH.stefully curling spray which are seen at the distance of miles, floating majestically in the atmosphere, tinged with innumerable rainbows of exquisite beauty and grandeur ; holding at defiance, as inimitable, the pencil of the artist. The visitor will in all probability have a view from below of this extraordinary scene. After passing through an adjoinii'g cottage, the stranger will arrive at a spiral stair-case, which may A it ! ' i i 292 be descended with safety ty the most timid visitor ; the view from the stair-case being intentionally interrupted, excepting by an aperture for the accommodation of those visitors who desire a prospect from that station. On arriving at the bottom, the stranger finds himself amongst huge masses of fallen rock, and enveloped in an atmosphere of watery vapours, which will instantly drench his clothes, if not suitably protected by the oil skin dresses of the adjoining cottage. Here the timid and prudent visitor will make a stand ; however the more adventurous proceed to a promontory termed Table Rock, and there survey leisurely a scene of un- paralleled and fearful grandeur. Others, with an impru- dent curiosity, will venture an excursion under the precipice of the excavated rock, over a coarse path of rocky fragments, and behind the tremendous column of falling water, where there is a never-ceasing whirlwind furiously driving the spray into the visitor's face, and producing to the greater number of visitors great op- pression in breathing. Others again, more undaunted, and with a rashness scarcely credible, have attempted to explore the awful gulph directly under the magnifi- cent arched sheet of falling water, regardless of its stun- ning roar. The insatiably curious visitor, wlio has any liking to have a view of this mighty cataract from the American side of the river, will find a convenient ferry across the River Niagara. However the great mass of visitors will be amply satisfied by the view from the British side, which is the most magnificent and unrivalled. ^^11 i 293 visitor ; the interrupted, lod'dtiou of bat station, ids himself ivcloped in ill instantly 1 by the oil •e the timid owever the ory termed ]eue of nn- 1 an impru- under the arse path of s cohunn of y whirlwind s face, and i great op- inidaunted, ! attempted he magnifi- of its stun- rlio has any ct from the enient ferry :eat mass of iv from the I unrivalled. On the American side the fall is inferior hi height, and is repeatedly broken by projecting rocks. There are besides stair-cases, and bridges of the most dangerous and precarious construction, whence a view may bo had of this stupendous scene in every position, if required, OS hazardous curiosity. In 1827, a large ship was pur- chased, as a speculation, by the hotels adjoinuig, and sent over the Grand Crescent or British Fall; and so powerful are strange events to the unreasonably curious, that upwards of thirty thousand spectators were drawn together to witness this reprehensible act of wanton cruelty ; other than cruel curiosity it could not be, because there wore placed on board tbo ship before being sent down, bears, buITal o;^, racoons, dogs, ho"-s geese. See. However, the rapids partially wrecked the ship in the River Xiagara, mi advuiilagc which the bears lost no time in consulting abonf, i,)iit instantly too!: to flight, escaped, and reached the bhurc in safety. It was otherwise with the rest of their companions uu board, for immediately afterwards the ship weul o\ cr the formidable precipice, and the whole of the animals perished in the abyss below, from which destruction scarcely a fragment of the wreck ever afterw -ds escaped from out of the unfathomed gulph. I'his, or a similar experiment, was again repeated two years afterwards, but not with the like happy success, or pecuniary advantages to the speculators; the ship, having taken a wrong course, was nearly completely wrecked iu the rapids of the river, and to the great m 2ii A 1l! ■jtr";;—. i 'i '^ wa f^y m 'I .."^ **ii «i Jt>i/"H.'J!^".i i U ^— y's advantage, for he uo sooner finds the stranger on ii *'!« Ii I I m V. Ttilfffiiiii 304 M board, than his busuiess is done ; the stranger being henceforward further manoeuvred by the broker himself, who takes care to be readily in attendance, and who boasts again of the ship ; offering at the same time (us if dis- interested) lo persuade the captain to lower the fare to the party in particular, providing they will keep it a secret, with another clause to the effect, that you allow this disinterested dissimilator, who keeps or is connected with a store, to furnish your stock of provisions and stores for the voyage. By such arts the poor unsus- picious stranger is soothed into compliance, and pays immediately the greater part, at least, of his passage money ; and on the very moment nearly of sailing, his stores are brought on board, which they know cannot conveniently then be examined by the emigrant, an advantage which is made the most of to deceive him. He also discovers, too late, being far on the Atlantic Ocean, ihe extent of the imposition, both in the quality, quantity, and exorbitant charge compared with similar purchases from private and more honest establishments. The general practice of these passenger brokers, is to charter the ship with steerage passengers, or to have a per centage or head money ; hence their advantage of crowding the ship to suffocation with emigrants of all nations and descriptions. There is one great advantage which Liverpool possesses, over every other port in the kingdom, of having a regular and almost a daily oppor- tunity of embarkation to the American continent, either by the regular packets which sail every few days, or by ' % 305 iiger being ker liimself, who boasts } (us if dis- tlie fare to [ keep it a t yon allow s connected visions and )oor iinsus- , and pays liis passage sailing, his now cannot nigrant, an .'ceive him. lie Atlantic the quality, A'itli similar blishments. :)kers, is to ir to have a Ivantagc of ;rants of all t advantage port in the iaily oppor- inent, either days, or by a merchant ship. Hence the advantage to the man of business, and the equally favourable opportunity to the man who dreads apprehension, or the more desperate individual who may have forfeited his liberty or life to the laws of his country. On leaving Liverpool, if the wind be tolerably good, the ship will soon be out into the ocean. The first land observed on this route, if no untoward event occur, is Long Island, and Sandy Hook, a point of barren sand, at the mouth of the river leading up to New York. However, this is not always the case, for in stormy weather a different course is often taken, which was the case when I crossed the Atlantic during stormy weather, which drove us towards the Western Isles, so near that we had a most interesting view of them. The only temperate day during the whole voyage, was passed in sight of these islands ; in fact, it was a total calm, and the surface of the mighty Atlantic without a ripple and as smooth as the surface of a mirror ; this favourable change produced an exhilarating effect upon every one on board, and conversation became universal, and turned on various subjects; particularly on the then expected war between the United States of America and France ; the debate was growing warm, when sud- denly a ship hove in sight with a gentle breeze, and made toward us, with her colours hoisted ; which the captam (an American) with his glass descried and hesitatingly pronounced to be French. The effect on the whole crew of American sailors was such, that they 2c I ;!- '^.^'kfsr'r :..:^r:?. -^ *. ■ ■■•^Mrr-frnt- m .306 scarcely kuew what they did, and asked advice of their shipmates, who equallyneeded advice themselves. How- ever, their feelings were still more agitated, on beholding the ship lower a boat, which at first appeared like a black log on the water. However it was immediately manned, and made all haste towards us. Every eye was now directed to this attractive point; and every mind was filled with apprehensions of the direful consequences, whilst the boat kept beating her course towards us. On her coming along side, (the rope ladder being lower- ed,) a brave looking officer, tall and of noble exterior, was immediately on our deck, followed by two equally brave looking men. The general impression seemed to be, that all was over with us. However, it appeared this gentleman was the captain of a Spanish merchant ship, bound for the north of Europe, and who had lost his reckoning. Fortunately, an English sailor on board our ship, who had been in Spain, could speak the lan- guage, and acted interpreter on this occasion. After awhile the required information was given, when he departed thankfully ; and in his boat on the yet smooth ocean was soon on board his own ship, at some miles distance. Whilst we were joking on this singular co- incidence, a breeze sprang up from the westward, and we soon lost sight of our Spanish companion. But on the morrow, while the wind was blowhig very fresh, a fine large ship hove in sight, likewise making her way towards us; and on nearing us they hoisted colours which proclaimed her to be an English merchant ship ; and on her passing within cannon-shot across our bows. m ill e of their 'es. How- beholding :ed like a mediately Y eye was ^ery mind lequences, vvards us. mg lower- ! exterior, 70 equally seemed to appeared merchant had lost • on board k the lan- 3n. After when he TQt smooth ome miles Dgular co- ward, and . But on y fresh, a ig her way 3d colours lant ship; our bows, 307 murmurs of dissatisfaction were heard throughout our ship amongst all the passengers, on seeing our captain perversely refuse to hoist his colours to a ship so vastly our superior in every respect. This was deemed ?i direct insult to the ship, to the country to which it be- longed, and to our passengers themselves, the greater part of whom were British. Indeed, there was every appearance of open rupture amongst us : and such was the height of party spirit amongst those who had probably for ever left their native land, (although on this occasion they showed they had not lost their love for the country of their forefathers,) that cheerful unanimity ne vsr again reigned during the remaining part of the voyage. At length, after a seven weeks' voyage, we saw the much-talked-of Sandy Hook, as already mentioned, at the mouth of the river leading up to New York ; on both sides of which are some fortifications on a commanding position, though apparently of no very formidable con- struction. On the right of the river is Long Island, and directly opposite are^ the shores of the island of New Jersey and its fortifications to the water edge. On progressing towards the city of New York, the beautiful sloping shore of Staten Island will be passed. The public buildings, with their pillared fronts on the rising ground, and the numerous white cottages on the brow of the hill as it were peeping out of the rich foliage by which they are embowered, give this part of the river a highly interesting appearance. Opposite this part of the shore, on a little artificial island, is the *> P o ♦• V ail \h 4ri I kill IMBIIII I I 'SBBbmtimm hi rj' m ■ fi 4 l!i: t '■; 208 Quaranfine Station. Ou this island, under a shed, the whole of the steerage passengers will have their luggage inspected by proper officers ; prior to which the whole of the linen on board of the ship must be washed, and the whole of the ship's crew and passengers examined by medical and other officers of the revenue. Immediately after the examination of the luggage on the small artificial island, a small barge provided for the purpose, will take the passengers and luggage and land them on the wharf at New York, there to pursue their own avocations. The cabin passengers' luggage will not be examined until the ship arrives at her proper station in the harbour of New York. The city of New York stands on a small island called Manhatton Island, which somewhat resembles a triangle in form, and is surrounded by the waters of the east and north rivers. It is 40^* 43' north latitude, 74° 5' west longitude, with a population of two hundred and three thousand. It is distant ninety-eight miles north-east from Philadelphia; two hundred and twenty-seven north- east of Wasliington ; two hundred and twenty south-west of Boston, ; three hundred and eighty-six south of Mon- treal ; five hundred and sixty-six south-west of Quebec ; seven hundred and ninety south-east of Toronto, by the Montreal route; five hundred and fifty-two from Toronto, by the route of Erie Canal and the Falls of Niagara ; and for the satisfaction of the curious, it may further be stated that New V'^ork is about three thousand miles from Liverpool. li 309 This Is the city of independence, in which Liberty ostentatiously displays her cap. In every prominent situation in the city are erected immense high poles, on the top of which is fixed a splendid gilt cap. The-^e are worshipped by the mob as their Gods of Liberty. Here equality of rights is the universal profession. Here the political speculator, and the moral philosopher, may indulge in all the chimeras of modern theory. The liberty here exercised, is that of the most uncivilized ; which they enjoy in defianc of an excellent code of laws, but which the magistracy have not always the power to enforce. That equality of rights with those of higher rank and greater refinement, which the mob so loudly claim, they as strenuously deny to the ill-fated negro population; who in their turn assume an importance which is never seen in British America, where they are peaceable, useful, and respectable British subjects. It is surprising the number of coloured inhabitants resident in the city of New York, and the unkind treatment which they have occasionally received from tlie mob is almost incredible. However, I will allow they often shew a similar ostentation, by parading the streets in small groups, occupying nearly the whole of the path- way, to the great annoyance of the other citizens. I remember having once witnessed a case which well il- lustrates this matter. Having once, in company with another party, hired a stage to drive about thirty miles, when a few miles from the city, a man of colour called to the driver to stop ; and instantly we found the black 2c3 I'l :i i '. :■ 1 1 .' ! ■ ' ! ' H 1 'f a lady, .ad hired on of the out they 3 shewed ly of the it of the ed. The ieir part, ired men for they ! insult, cks, is a uropean ; re nearly ng effect i wise to ity, par- for even company greatest ral times struction nt. iged with is volume, either on ason, that coloured people; however they are always well protected by the Society of Friends, who form a numerous pro- portion of the inhabitants of this city. Here are several estabHshments for the free blacks. In one of the schools, 1 understood, was an African Prince, who had come over for the purpose of being educated. Philadelphia is, in truth, the coloured man's home ; and is, without exception, the most peaceable and best governed city m the whole of the United States. And is further, the neatest built city in the western world. In short, it is an elegant and splendid city of architectural beauties. The appearance of the city of New York to the stranger is very pleasing, the streets being spacious, the houses handsome, and some of the public parade grounds la: ' out with judgment, although far inferior to similar grounds in England ; on account of the beauties of the holly, laurel, bay, and similar evergreens being wanting, the American climate being unfriendly to their growth. scarcely a family of emigrants ever takes this route in search of a location : it being chiefly settled by four millions of ill-fated negroes, under the most servile yoke of slavery. However, I am fully as- sured, that the friends of immediate and unqualified emancipation, would find their ardour somewhat allayed after a short sojourn in the neighbourhood of the estates under the cultivation of the slaves, where their manners and habits give an unfavourable impression ; and their peculiar hatred to their best and kindest employers is singularly conspicuous. As to describing the beauties of the whole of the chief cities and towns in those states, it is quite impossible in a work of such pretensions ; and further, it would really be useless to the emigrant in particular, tending to swell the volume in size and expense. Indeed, a brief description of the architectural beauties of the city of Philadelphia alone, would be amply sufficient if ir \0r i f I, .1 J Mi M -nil 312 ' The place of landing at the wharf, is called White Hall Slip, which is at the southern end of the Main Street called Broadway, which bisects the city, and is ad- joining the castle garden battery, and its public promen- ade ground. On advancing about a mile up Broadway, in the north-west direction, we perceive an inviting plot of ground of about six acres, on the east side of Broadway, called the park, where all the gaity of the to fill a volume; asforinstance, the white marble-built public edifices, and the equally extensive piles of private buildings, composed chiefly of the same elegant and showy marble stone ; particularly that long range, built by the bounty of a late wealthy banker of the city, the rents of which are appointed to be annually applied to charitable purposes. I must also particularly notice the exchange, as a splen- did structure : and the extensive water-works, on the whole, present a scene nearly indescribable. However, the most extraordinary and interesting work of art, was the ' Pennsylvania,' a line of battle ship, which was built during the last war, but which still remains in an unfinished state on the stocks at the navy yard, at Philadel- phia, under the shelter of an immense shed, which cost nearly ten thousand pounds building. This ship is one of the most stupendous fabrics ever destined to navigate the ocean ; her length on the deck is seventy-five yards, and her breadth about thirty yards. She is large enough to carry a crew of two thousand men, and is of three thousand tons burden. She is designed to carry one hundred and forty guns, each to be thirty-two pounders, so that at every broad- side she fires, there will be discharged a ton of cannon balls, and she will draw nearly thirty feet of water. One of her anchors, which is to be seen in the ship yard, and which, lik(! the ship, is the largest in the world, weighs somewhat more than five tons. She is supplied with iron water tanks, each to hold two hundred gallons. However, she is far from being completed, and there are well groimded fears of her foundering during the launch, if ever indeed it should he attempted. As an object of curiosity, the ' Pennsylvania' is sufficiently notorious, for at the time of the author's visit (October " 6th, 1835,) there were crowds of visitors parading her stupendoua decks. 313 city is concentrated ; and where the young, gay, and unthinking fashionables parade in crowds, during favourable weather, for it is appropriately laid out as a parade ground; the walks are embowered with numerous line trees, and the whole enclosed with neat iron railing. In the centre of this ^yark stands the city hall, which is a handsome white marble edifice, fronted with columns and a noble flight of steps. And on the top is a cupola and clock, having rather a singular ap- pearance from the large bell being fixed conspicuously on the out side of the cupola. To the east of the city hall, and nearly adjoining, is the register-office, which is likewise a fine piece of architecture. On the west of the city hall, and likewise within the park, stands en- veloped in a mass of trees, a dirty, miserable looking building, called the Bridewell. On visiting this prison, I found as an inmate the well known gentleman, Ex- Slieriff Parkins, of I'Oiidon, who had been infamously robbed, and by writing too warmly on the subject in unmeasured li>-guage, was persecuted and imprisoned on the twenty-fourth of April, 1833, under the prepos- terous and false allegation of slandering a notorious vagabond. Aftsr again leaving the bridewell and taking another survey, it will be found upon the whole that this is the most interesting place in the city. Another public building is the exchange, which is situate in Wall Street, and built likewise of white marble. It is fronted with noble columns, each being of a single ft I '"■I If ill II: i '^ f 11 ;«'! 314 block of wHte marble. On the top of this edifice is the telegraph. The post-office is a part of this building. The places of amusement consist of several theatres, of respectable interior and dimensions ; some equally re- spectable museums, which are daily open ; and innumer- able gardens for musical entertainment every evening. T' .re is also no lack of gaming-houses, which may be found in all of the more public streets, and of every grade and description. The buildings dedicated to re- ligion are also numerous and respectable, although as architectural structures, they are very inferior to similar religious edifices in Europe. There are places of as- sembly for atheists, and they have their regular Sunday meetings, to ridicule the bible, which they do by loud and repeated cheers, accompanied by music and other similar insane movements. Admittance to these meet- ings may be obtained for sixpence. The trade of this city is very extensive, to almost all parts of the world. The chief mercantile establishments are situated in Wall Street, which is the centre point of business of the city. Here the press flourishes so much, that it has not its rival in the world, for daily and weekly publications. In fact, the city is literally inun- dated with newspapers ; crowds of boys are seen standing in almost every street corner and public place, loaded with newspapers of every size and description. The respectable papers are very large, and are well and ably conducted, although there is no town or city in the world where editors are so much under the surveillance 315 fice is the building, leatres, of qually re- innumer- 7 evening, h may be of every ited to re- ithougli as to similar ces of as- ir Sunday io by loud and other ese meet- almost all >lishments re point of ! so much, daily and ■ally inun- n standing ce, loaded ion. The il and ably ity in the irveillance i of the mob. Instances are but too common of editors having severely suffered mob and Lynch-law punish- ment. Nay, these mob law abettors and supporters have assailed the editor for his political opmions at noonday, with the dirk of the assassin. The frequency of fires in this city, is a source of great and justifiable alarm to a stranger ; as it stands unpar- alleled for acts of incendiarism. Every night, for years nearly in succession, is there one or more fires ; hence the average number' of fires in this city is about four hundred per annum ; which wilful acts destroy property to an immense amount, and a serious sacrifice of lives. It is evident that there is not sufficient vigilance used in scrutinizing the origin of these numerous fires : neither is the law strictly and severely enforced when the agents have been detected, as an example. However, of the vigilance of tne fire-men, there can be no complaint ; for the engines, when required, are instantly in attend- ance, and are very numerous and beautiful ; though I believe their plan of procedure is ill calculated to en- sure success ; it is evident they need a conductor. Every night of my stay in New York, on two occasions, there was one or more fires ; and on one occasion I remember expressing my astonishment at the numerous fire engines in attendance, when I was informed they exceeded forty, and all without adequate effect. Since writing the above, a most melancholy and ruinous fire has nearly laid the whole of this city in a mass of ruins, at least fifty acres of ground have been cleared of its n itm HJ -'* ! Il m. If I! , '■;;!!?: t n I 'f.S M 316 superincumbent buildings, including nearly all the"mer- cantile establishments in Wall Street. The exchange, post-office, and several religious edifices. In short, such a conflagration was never seen since the burning of Moscow : and what renders the disaster more melan- choly is, that there is every reason to conclude incendiarism had a great share in the work of destruc- tion; for the city is charged to repletion with every lawless pest of society, from almost every nation and language on the earth. I 1 I ■ ■'. 1 :< ; 1 1 ; ' 1 ; i f 1 '' i , i s 1 t '■! J [ the"mer- exchauge, In short, le burning )re melan- conclude 3f destnic- nth every aation and ROUTE FROM NEW YORK TO ALBANY Emigrants wliose intention it may be to proceed direct to British America, or tlic western states of America ; and to whom remaining u few days in New York would be inconvenient, must immediately after landing engage a porter, of whom there are numbers in attendance at the wharfs, to take charge of the luggao-e ; and to shew the way to the several stations of the Al- bany steam-puv-kets. These are on the west of the city, at the bottom of Cortland, Fulton, and Barclay Streets. But on no account whatever must the stranger leave his luggage to the sole care of the carter or porter, for fear of being punished by loosing sight of it for ever. Observe, always have an agreement prior to allowing anythino- to be removed, otherwise you will be liable to be grossly imposed on ; because as they will probably never see you again, they are less careful of giving offence. Nay, it is even advisable, if possibly you can avoid it, never to ask a question twice over ; supposing you understood it not the lirst time ; for most assuredly you will receive an abusive reply. And to save time and serious incon- 2d mmUKmm^ h i> I' I'l !' 1 1 i 1 i .1 '' 1 - -t . '■ - ll 3J8 veuicucc, I think it might be recommended as advisable, that every slrauger should, on entering any place of resort, immediately declare publicly his name, from whence he comes, and that he proposes returning to his own country, or (otherwise his hitentions. For such are the general questions with which strangers are harassed by the vagabond loungers of the middle and lower orders. The traveller or tourist with more ade- quate opportunities and means, will probably spend a few days in New York, and be highly gratified with many interesting objects worthy of his attention. How- ever, this delay would be mere idle curiosity in the emigrant of limited means, and perhaps with a numer- ous family, and should be decidedly avoided. The steam-packets from the above stations start every morning to Albany, about seven o'clock ; and perform the journey withhi the day ; the distance being one hundred and forty-five miles. The scenery on both sides of this noble river, during the whole trip, is highly interesting; and fortunately for the traveller, there is creuerally during the summer very great and spirited opposition on this the Riv-r Hudson ; whereby the fare is considerably lowered, therwise it would be exorbi- tant, as it will often be found travelling where there is no such opposition. The best cabin fare from New York to the city of Albany by the steam-packets, is three dollars ; but in the time of spirited opposition, the fare is often reduced to one dollar. The steerage fare it often reduced bv the same cause, from one and a 310 (Ivisable, place of me, from jniing to For such igers are iddle and Qore ade- • spend a fied with n. How- y in the a numer- tart every d perform 3cing one y on both , is highly , there is d spirited y the fare be exorbi- re there is Tom New )ackets, is )sition, the ierage fare Dne and a 1 1 half dollar, to half a dollar onlj. For the carriage of lutTfrafe, the srenei i practice is to allow each passenger C50 7 i. one hundred pou ! weight; and for every hundred pounds above that weight, the charge is sixpence. New York currency. The medium of exchange current in New York state, consists of gold coins called eagles, half eagles, &c. of the value of five pounds ; and as low as ten shillings, if I am not misinformed. That such coin is in existence is certain, but that it is not in circulation, may be truly asserted ; therefore when seen it is by favour of a friend, as a curiosity. The paper money consists of dollar bills, of two dollars and upwards. Formerly bills of a few cents value were in circulation ; however they have been withdrawn from circulation, as have all below two dol- lars, by the legislature this last year, 183o. The silver coin consists of dolli^rs, half-dollars, quarter-dollars, five and ten cent pieces. The value of exchange will be readily understood from the following Ijrief account. On arriving at New York, and presenting a British sovereign at any of the exchange offices, the stranger will receive four dollars and eighty cents, or four dollars and eighty-four cents, according to the \-ilue of gold at the time ; each dollar being one liundred cents. Thus it is evident, in the United States, a sovereign is worth four hundred and eighty cents at least, which is exactly double the number of pence in a British sovereign in England. Hence it is easily imder- stood that in round numbers a cent equals the value of a 2l>2 \4 >T:1 320 British halfpenny ; although cents are familiarly termed pennies in the States of America. Half cents have been coined, but like the gold coins, have never yet thoroughly come into circulation. And further, each dollar is equi- valent to eight shillings. New York currency : hence the half-dollar is termed a four-shilling piece, and the quarter- dollar the two-shilling piece, currency. Whereas in British America, five shillings is the value of a dollar. Thus seven pence halfpenny, in Canada, equals in value, and is familiarly termed, a New York shilling. Subsequent to writing the above, the Provincial Parlia- mentof Upper Canada have, with great wisdom, amended the laws on currency ; thereby preventing, at least, the wholesale measures of spoliation being committed in future on British coins, by the adjacent States of America. i! m " Extracts from an act (piissed 20th of April, 1831},) to repeal and amend certain act.s of this province, in relation to the gold and silver coins made current by law, and to raake further provision respect- ing the rates at which certain gold and silver loins shall pass current in this province. " And belt further enacted, by the authority aforesaid, that from and after the passing of this act, the gold and silver coins hereinafter mentioned shall pass current, and be deemed a legal tender in payment of all debts and demands whatsoever in this proviuce, at the weights and rates following, that is to say : — OF GOLD COINS. The British Guinea, weighing five pennyweights nine and a half grains,4roy, at one pound five shillings and sixpence. The British Sovereign, weighing five penny weights three and a half grains, troy, at twenty-four shillings and fourpence. The Eagle, of the United States of America, coined before the first day of July, 1834, weighing eleven pennyweights six graius, troy, at fifty-three shillings and fourpence. ' termed ive been iroughly is equi- ence the quarter- ereas in \ dollar, u value, [ Parlia- mended 3ast, the itted in Lmerica. ipeal and nd silver respect- lall pa8$ hat from reinafter ender in 'iucGf at le and a hree and ce. iiorc the X graius, 321 The Eagle of the United States of America, coined since the first day of July, 1834, weighing ten pennyweights eighteen grains, troy, at fifty shillings. AND OF SILVER COINS. The British Crown, at six shillings. The British Half-Crown, at three shillings. The British Shilling, at one shilling and threepence. The British Sixpence, at sevenpenee halfpenny. The Spanish-Milled Dollar, at five shillings, equal to four shilling. and sixpence sterling money of Great-Britain The Dollar of the United States of America, at five shillings. The Mex,c.m Dollar, coined in the years 1831, 1832, and 1833, at five shilhngs. ' And all the higher and lower denominations of the said gold and silver corns shall also pass current, and be deemed a legal tender m payment of all debts and demands whatsoever in this province in the same proportions respectively." ' After the above explanation of the current coins of the United States, I shall return to the route. On embarking and the steamer moving off from the wharf, the stranger will observe on the west shore of the river, Mersey City,' which is merely a straggling lot of houses studding the bank ; together with an antique wind-mill, which is certainly u great curiosity in America. On the same shore, somewhat more to the north, is the village of Hoboken. On the eastern shore wiU be left the crowded piles of buildings and the lofty receding spires of the numerous churches of New York, which combined form a very interesting field of obser- vation, as the steam-packet glides up the Hudson. After awhile the attention will bo attracted by the 2 D 3 322 * Palisadoes/ a basaltic rock precipice extending twenty miles along tlie west-side of tlie river, varying from fif- teen feet to above five hundred in height ; and appear- ing in several places to overhang the river considerably. The rock is column-like to a considerable extent, some- what resembling the celebrated basaltic rocks in the county of Antrim, Ireland, known as the * Giant's Cause- way.' After a fui ther advance up the river, will be noticed on the east bank, the United States Asylum, and the ruins of several old forts. On again advancing we arrive within sight of the celebrated Tarry Town, situated twenty-five miles north from New York, and on the east shore. Here it was that the unfortunate IVTajor Andre was intercepted on his return to the British army, on the twenty-third of September, 1780, after having had an interview with the treacherous General Arnold, who was the commanding officer of the important west point fortress. The faithful American centinel, who stopped and searched INLijor Andro, found in his boots divers papers containing exact returns of the strength of the fortress, and the proposals of surrendering the whole to the British. Thus all doubts as to the nature of Major Andre's communication instantly vanished. As soon as it was known that Major Andro was seized, General Arnold immediately fled to the British ships of war then in the river, and thereby secured his own safety. However, it was otherwise with the unfortunate Andre. Although every possible exertion was made by the British command- ing officer to save the life of Major Andre, all availed I 'i '% ii "ft» ) Wi l 323 nothing, for tMs gallant and accomplished young officer was condem ^d and executed on the second of October. He dreaded tue ignominy of the gallows, as disgraceful to the feelings of a man of honour and a soldier ; but General Washington thought it was customary and con- sistent that this form of punishment should be inflicted in all similar cases, and he suffered accordingly. He met his fate undauntedly; he died heroically, like a soldier. The place where he forfeited his life, near the village of Tappan, is about two miles nearer on the west bank of the river. Here it was that the interview between the two officers took place, and where his re- mains were interred for several years ; till by order of the Briti&h Consul at New York, they were disinterred, placed in an elegant coffin and sent to England, to be laid in a tomb more honourable and worthy of so true but unfortunate a British hero. About thirty miles up the river on the east bank, stands conspicuously the state prison of Now York, called ' Singsing Prison.' It is a noble quadrangular edifice of hewn stone, and is wholly the work of the convicts themselves. The system of general discipline of this prison is solitary confinement. Stoney Pohit is a few miles further north, and was a place of important military operations during the revo- lutionary war. Here is a singular constructed light- house, on a rocky promontory; which with other features of wildness, gives this part of the river an interesting appearance. Here the course of the river il» I 'rtjlftmi ■ IW ffiriJUL 1 ''" * i""lMJg'^ If - f f ' " f I 324 forms an obtuse angle, caused by tlie projection of a mountain of about twelve hundred feet in height, on the east side. This mountain is supposed, by fanciful observers, to present the profile of St. Anthony's face. Hence it is called < St. Anthony's Nose.' In this immediate neighbourhood, and on the opposite shore, are several sites of fortifications. Here the British, under the command of General Clinton, during the American war, after a desperate encounter, com- pelled the enemy to surrender. Upon the whole, the scenery in this neigbourhood is particularly biuff, ro- mantic, and interesting. The next place worthy of remark on this route, is West Point Battery, which is now a military establish- ment for the education of youth for the army. It is beautifully seated on a promontory, on the west side of the river, fifty miles from New York. Here the sons of officers are educated in military science; and the sons of revolutionary officers arc particularly preferred when vacancies occur, lliis is the garrison which the trea- cherous General Arnold proposed to surrender into the hands of the British army ; the failure of which design caused the premature death of Major Andre. The cele- brated < Newburgh Letters' were written from a village of that name, about ten miles north of West Point, by General Washington. The celebrated Catskill Mountains will now become interesting objects. These immense mountains are above three thousand feet above the river, and about ten miles 32 o 1 from its banks. It is reallj astonishing to observe the immense masses of vapour forcing their way out of the dense forest on the brow of these tremendous mountains, every morning when the sun sheds its radiance upon them. Some ten miles beyond this, the steamer will again stop to land and take in passengers at the city of Hudson, which is twenty-eight miles south of Albany, and one hundred and seventeen north of New York. The city of Hudson is advantageously situated on the east side of the river, on considerably elevated ground; and is a place of extensive trade, as ships of large burden can navigate this north river thus far in safety. It is a port which annually sends out several ships to the northern ilsberies. The shops and hotels are neat, commodious, and respectable ; and the population, ac- cording to the last census, was somewhat above five thousand. Directly opposite to this city, is the beautiful pic- turesque village of Athens ; the whole shore being dotted with neat snow white wood cottages ; with good wharfs for landing and taking in passengers, and connected with which there is a regular ferry. After leaving this station, the river soon becomes very narrow, and of most difficult navigation for some con- siderable distance prior to arriving at Albany ; which will be in about four hours after leaving this place. The city of Albany is situated on the west bank of the north or Hudson River. Is one hundred and 'iiij; ■ -i 326 I! forty-five miles nortli of New York ; two hundred and forty-one south of Montreal ; and four hundred and twenty-one of Quebec; one hundred and sixty-five west of Boston; three hundred and sixty -two east of Buffalo; and about four hundred from the city of Toronto. x\ccording to the last census, there were nearly thirty thousand inhabitants. Albany is the pohtical metropolis of the Statn of New York, and is worthy of the appellation ; for the public buildings are noble edifices, particularly the state house, which stands delightfully in the public square on a well chosen site, from which there is a gentle declivity down Main Street to the river, and which gives a fine prospect to the observer. The city hall is a fine white marble struc- ture, which adds greatly to the ornamental part of the city. On the whole, a distant view of this city from any quarter is rich, but particularly from the river side, from whence the noble gilt and tumed domes of two of the public buildings appear splendid in the extreme. The effect is much heighiened by the rich gold colour of the one, being contrasted with the silver white of the other. At this place the navigation of the north river terminates, for ;'liips of large burden; and for small crafl a few miles beyond. The wharfs arc extensive on the west side of the river, which is crossed by large wooden bridges ; and the trade and importance of this place is extensive, the neighbouring country being well cultivated, and inhabited by an industrious population. Here commences the Erie Canal, which terminates at , , ed and Bd and tty-five east of city of •e were is the and ia ngs are 1 stands jen site, a Street ; to the e struc- t of the it}' from er side, f two of ixtreme. i colour te of the •th river )r small nsive ou by large e of this ling well pulatiou. inates at 327 Buffalo ; thus linking Lake Erie with the River Hudson, a distance of three hundred and sixty-two miles. Hence it is the longest canal in the United States. This canal is the most direct route for Upper Canada and the Falls of Niagara; therefore the emigrant or traveller who finds it most convenient to proceed thither, must en- gage a porter or hotel footman; with which class of men Albany wharfs are more amply stocked than even - New York. This porter will take the luggage and show the way to either the canal boats, the coach or railway station. The traveller with light luggage and small family, had better proceed from Albany by the sixteen miles' railroad to Schenectady, to meet the canal boats there ; which procedure will save much time, although little if anything in expense. To the emigrants de's- tined for Upper Canada, with heavy luggage and a numerous family, I would say immediately after laurling, proceed to the boats of the Erie Canal station ; where' he will find a numerous collection of canal line boats, for there is great opposition during the season of navigation ; and it is highly proper that the emigrant with his numerous family should make an agreement, (which may be done to great advantage, by an active individual) and C - uniting of several familes to travel by the canal boats to Oswego, a distance of about two hundred miles. For, on arriving at Syracuse, the set- tler destined for Upper Canada must leave this Erie Canal, and take to the Oswego Canal, which will conduct him to the shores of Lake Ontario. 328 W' m § The boats on the Erie Canal are neat and commo- dious, as far as circumstances will allow ; and are dragged by a pair of horses, which are changed every eight or nine miles. The rate of travelling is about six miles per hour, day and night. The packet boat is dragged by three horses, and at a much quicker rate than one of the common line boats, and is the most advisable mode of conveyance for the travellor, with light incumbrance and luggage, for the fare is but a trifle more than by the common jw-boats, which are repeatedly delayed on the route by landing and taking passengers and goods. The trade on this canal, as might be imagined, is immense ; for there are some hundreds of boats on it daily, and some thousands of horses are employed in dragging them. As to the horses, they are generally inferior cattle : and the lads who drive are hired for the season, which commences in the latter part of the month of May, and terminates in November. After which these canals have, if I am not misinformed, their waters let out during the winter, for fear of the injurious eflbcts of frost. The wages of these drivers, who are for the most part stout lads, are very high; yet they are without exception, a gang of the greatest blackguards in lan- guage and manners of an) In the world. They excel any gang that the most populous town or city in Europe could furnish, for almost every word is an oath. I well re- member, when within a few miles of Buflalo, one of these driver rascals was swearing and abusing his horses as 329 commo- [iiid are d every s about ; boat is ser rate le most zTf with is but a lich are 1 taking iucd, is it daily, ragging inferior season, ontli of 3h these .ters let ffccts of he most without in lan- :cel any :)e could weW re- of these orsea as usual ; when suddenly, as if intending to retaliate, the horse threw him across a huge log which was accident- p.lly laid near the tow-path ; he was seriously injured, and probably it would finish his career. However, this is not the only source of accidents which happen on this canal, for they are often occurring from indiscretion, on the nart of the emigrants themselves. For instance, as there are numerous stores along the banks of the canal, scarcely above four miles apart, and all of them retailers of spirituous liquors, there is much temptation to indulgence, and freely they give way to it, till often unable again to walk on board the boat ; and they not unfrequently fall into the canal, or otherwise forfeit their lives. Another cause of accidents, and wliich de- mand the strictest attention of the traveller by this canal route, is the frequency of wooden bridges, which cross the canal every few miles. These are so low that the smallest trunk can hardly remain safe on the top of the boat: whilst to the stranger who occasionally stands upon the top of the boat to survey the surrounding country, accidents of a very disasterous nature have often occurred. That of being knocked off into the canal is one of daily occurrence, and is thought a trifle. Another danger on this canal arises from inattention on the part of the officers of the boat. I allude to the careless manner in which the boat is managed at the numerous locks. In passing through a lock of eight or ten feet rise, the water is allowed to pour down in a frightful current. Whilst passmg * Fort Plain Locks/ 2 E 330 oil this canal, by the careless and highly censurable conduct of our captain, the cabin was flooded with water, which did great damage to several of the passen- gers' packages, and had nearly sunk the boat. However, there are still more dangerous accidents occur from the opposite element ; for one of the boats unfortunately took fire, burnt to the water edge ; and what was the most melan- choly part of this sad affair was, the boats being loaded with British emigrants, all with numerous families, who lost every thing but the clothes on their backs at the time of escaping. Thus, through the carelessness of the captain, they were brought into greater sorrow, poverty, and wretchedness in a foreign country, than they were in prior to leaving home. If I am informed correctly, this disasterous event might probably have been avoided, for the passengers had complained to the captain for several hours of the smell of fire, when he laughed and treated them as unworthy of notice ; at last their urgent and repeated complaints compelled the captain, prior to retiring to their berths, to open the hatches and examine ; when, on admitting the air, the whole boat was instantly enveloped in a blaze, and all was destroyed. The cause of the 'ire was not known, except it was the breakage of a bottle of drugs in a parcel ; this, at least, was the captain's explanation. The fare of a steerage passenger by these boats, who finds himself with provisions, from Albany to Oswego, is three dollars ; and when opposition is great, it will be often reduced to two dollars, or even less; and fifty titi 331 pounds of luggage is allowed to be taken hy every pas- senger gratis. For the cabin fare, see the bottom of the regulation table. In the cabin of these boats, will be found these rules and orders, hung up in a frame. Passage to be paid immediately after the boat leaves port. Passengers are not permitted to lie down on the berths, lockers, or settees, with boots or shoes on. Passengers are requested to hold no conversation with the drivers. No distilled spirits allowed to be furnished or sold on board. All gambling strictly prohibited. No indecorous behaviour or language permitted on board this boat at any time, but least of all on the sabbath. No blowing of horns, or shouting ; nor, in fine, any thing to offend or disturb the respectable or graver part of the community. No baggage will be allowed in the berths, or settees, or lockers, at any time whatever. Passengers are requested to leave the stern-cabin, during cooking hours. All smoking strictly prohibited in the cabin. Those passengers who furnish their own board, are strictly pro- hibited from eating in the foreward cabin. But the privilege of using the table and kitchen furniture is allowed them, on condition of them leaving the same as they found it ; under the penalty of being debarred using the same. Passengers wishing to board by the single meal, are requested to bespeak them in due season. No passenger is allowed to walk the decks after dark ; under the penalty of being knocked off by the bridges. Price of passage, including lodging and an ordinary travelling trunk, or forty pounds of burgage, one and ahalf ceijit per mile. — Children under twelve years of age, half price. Price of board, one cent per mile, or twenty-five cents per meal. Immediately after leaving Albany and moving out of the harbour, there is some little delay in weighing the 2e2 m 332 m boat in a convenient weighing dock, after which there is nothing particularly interesting in the adjacent scenery for the first few miles, until airiving at the United States' Arsenal. This is on the east side of the canal, and is the grand depot for the arms and ammunition of the northern parts of the union. The building has a plain uninterest- ing appearance, as also the adjoining village of Gibbon- ville. However, in this immediate neighbourhood, and opposite the magazine, is the large and flourishing town of Troy, which is about six miles north of Albany. Troy is a place of considerable trade, with several mills of extensive manufactories, being most advanta- geously situated for a current of water. The scenery in this part of the route is worthy of attention ; for the lofty mountains in the rear, with a rocky and rural precipice along the canal, gives this neighbourhood a highly interesting and picturesque appearance. The next place of interest on this canal is about two miles further, and is the junction of the Erie and Champlain Canals. The double locks of the canal at this place are deserving of attention; the masonry being wholly constructed of v*hite marble, and of excel- lent workmanship. Here there is much hurry and bustle, by the meeting of the numerous boats of the respective canals ; and on again progressing, the route becomes more delightful, as the splendid cataract of the Mohawk River gives animation to the scene. This cataract has a fall of about sixty feet, and is worthy of a visit from nr 333 the curious; a Httle beyond this the Mohawk river is crossed by the Erie Canal, over an aqueduct of above a thousand feet in length, resting on about thirty massive stone piers and abutments. The canal ncwr runs on the north side of the river for about ten miles, when it re- crosses to the south side, over another beautiful massive aqueduct of about eight hundred feet in length. The whole scenery, from the junction of the canals to this place, is romantic in the extreme ; for the bold preci- pitous rocks to the north having a height of nearly two hundred feet perpendicular, and overhanging consider- ably the course of the canal, present an appearance, on passing under, truly terrific ; and when considered in combination with the view of the serpentine course of the adjoining Mohawk River, with its rustic banks em- bowered with its native forest foliage, the scene becomes highly imposing, and almost indescribable, Schenectady is the next town of importance on this route, and has been long built. It is situated on the south-east side of the Mohawk River, and is twenty- seven miles from Albany by the canal, and the passmg this distance occupies eleven hours. This delay is chiefly owing to having to pass through more than twenty locks in this short route. Here it is that the railway from Albany terminates, a distance of fifteen miles, and is performed in one hour, the fare being sixty-three cents. Hence the saving of ten hours iii time by the railroad route from xVlbany. To the ad- mirer of nature, however, the beautiful scenery by the 2e3 I nk 334 canal route, more than repays him for the loss of that time which might have been saved by pursuing the railway course. Schenectady is reported to have been built and for- tified so early as the middle of the seventeenth century. It is at present a rapidly improving place, with a popu- lation of twelve thousand inhabitants; and from its advantageous situation to the railroad and canal, and from being in the midst of an extensive agricultural country, the trade is considerable. The public buildings are neat, although the union college, which stands bordering on the town, has an odd appearance from its consisting of two distinct buildings, standing widely apart ; however, it is the most respect- able and best endowed seminary in the states. Here is to be seen a church, said to have been built in the reign of Queen Ann; and at this place the Mohawk River is again crossed by a wooden bridge of elegant proportions. SCHOHARRIE Creek is the next place, and remark- able for its wild and inhospitable appearance. The canal still continues its course next to the Mohawk River, which is wide and has a very rapid current at this place. Here is a singular rope ferry across the river. A wheel, turned by a horse, moves a rope which is stretched double across the river, and is carried round a wheel on the opposite side ; a line attached to this draws the boats, and another rope keeps them in their course. Near to this place is the village of Johnstone, once the residence of that celebrated General Sir William ■^fT^^' 335 Johnstone, who emigrated to America a poor Irish soldier. However, talent prevailed, and he left his ex- tensive domains to his sons, who embraced the British cause during the revolutionary war, whereby their estates were confisc; od to the United States. These brave fellows contended nobly for the cause of England, and after a long residence in British America, they found a just rewaia from their country. Near this romantic spot a mountain is passed, which is likewise called * St. Anthony's Nose,' a name appa- rently particularly common and pleasing to the Americans ; for it is the third mountain from hence to New York which bears that name. In this mountain there is an immense deep cavern, which has not, as yet, been scientifically explored. FORTPLAIN. — This place was once the strong-hold of the Oneida Indians ; and history records a singular occurrence at this place during the wars of extermi- nation which so fiercely raged in these wilds at that time. The old castle was fortified in the time of the revolu- tionary war, and was surprised by a Captain Butler, who, as an officer, was qualified for any and every act of atrocity. Whenever he conquered, he spread death and destruction amongst his enemies ; he deliberately murdered his captives, turned the women into the forest, burnt their habitations ; and to complete the desolation, the cattle were wantonly slaughtered : such was the de- struction he poured on an adjoining village, called 'Cherry Valley.' Such acts of barbarity, however, H ■ m "f ■ 336 generally meet with a corresponding retaliation, and such was the case with Captain Butler. Unfortunatel7 for him, after leaving this fort, and just having crossed the Mohawk River, near the Canada Creek on the opposite side, and having somewhat lingered in the rear of his army, he was overtaken hy some Oneida Indians, who were allies to the Americans. The captain, seeing his danger, begged for his life, but in vain ; the Indians' onlv reply was < Cherry Valley,' and then in- stantly tomahawked him on the spot. This tribe of American Indians were most faithful and serviceable to the army of their allies, when treated kindly ; and they were equally determined to avenge an insult. They had several positions of defence in this neighbourhood to take refuge in, when surprised in their native forests. The next interesting scenery on this route, is called 'Little Falls,' and is some distance beyond the last- mentioned place. It will be found a great treat to the admirer of wild scenery ; for the water-falls, with the adjacent range of irregular rocks, some of immense height and perpendicular; others ragged and thickly covered with their original foliage, give this imposing spot an extraordinary degree of interest, which is much heightened by the deep culm of the solitude being broken by the uproar of the rapids and cascades of the Mohawk River. The improving town of Utica is situated on the south side of the Mohawk River ; it is one hundred and eight miles south-west of Albany ; seventy-nine miles from ■«BOTa*^a4Mrita.^«,^ 337 Schenectady; and two hnndred and fiftj-five east of Buffalo. Here there is every appearance of rapid improvements, for the public buildings are new and commodious, with every other convenience expected in a large town. Such, too, has been the rapid concourse of emigrants to this place, that in a few years it has increased from a mere village, to a town of several thousand inhabitants. The streets are particularly wide and regularly surveyed, and divided into corresponding sections as building lots. The long level of the Erie Canal, of seventy miles without a single lock, commences a few miles below this place. After again crossing the Mohawk River, we pass in- numerable Jog built villages, and lonely cottages peeping out through imperfect breaches in the primeval forest- for about sixty miles, the whole length shews rapid but recent acts of industry, by an irregular and coarse method of agriculture, and by the patches of cleared land being small and far apart. However, the whole line of this long canal, on both sides, will soon be cleared of its present immense forest, and give place to respectable farm-houses and cleared land, if the present rapid strides of improvement continue active a few years lon-tr. After this part of the route is passed, the boat will enter the town of Syracuse, which is one hundred and sixty-nme miles from Albany; one hundred and ninety- four from Buffalo ; and ninety-nine from Rochester.- This place, like most other towns on this route, is of modern erection ; and has also had the most rapid rise i^- ffii; )\..\ 338 and progress. It is certainly destined to be an impor- tant place, on account of its advantageous situation with respect to the extensive salt works which are situated in this immediate neighbourhood. So numerous are the salt springs, that every village, for miles, have salt works, to a more or less extent. It is calculated that more than five hundred acres of ground are covered with salt pans and low wooden sheds. The general mode here followed in the manufactory of the salt, is evapo- ration by solar heat. However, some of the manufacturers evaporate by artificial heat, which is considered equally as advantageous a mode as the other. The quantity of salt that is manufactured in this district annually, is nearly two million bushels, from which the State Treasury derives a considerable revenue, as every bushel pays a duty of twelve and a half cents. At this town of Syracuse, the Oswego Canal branches off to the north from the Erie Canal, and is the only proper route for the traveller and emigrant destined direct for Upper Canada. The distance to Oswego, by the canal, is about thirty miles ; being situated in the immediate neighbourhood of Lake Ontario, where steam-packets will be found daily plying to all the towns of importance approachable by navigation in Upper Canada. From Oswego to the city of Toronto, the capital of Upper Canada, a distance of about two hundred miles on Lake Ontario; the fare is two dollars at the lowest ; there being, as yet, no opposition of importance in that quarter. 339 The traveller or emigrant for the western states either of the Union or British America, or the tourist intending to visit the Falls of Niagara on his waj to Upper Canada, will have to continue his route hy the Erie Canal to Rochester ; but prior to arriving at that town, the canal will pass through a long tract of wild country, which is low, swampy, and of course unhealthy. The water which overflowed it has be- come stagnant, because its original outlet has been destroyed by the embankment of the canal. Hence for miles the forest is killed by the stagnant water, and conveys the idea of a world of naked masts towering aloft, giving a most melancholy and dreary appearance Rochester is ninety-five miles from Buffalo ; two hundred and sixty-eight miles from Albany;' four hundred and thirteen from New York ; eighty-seven miles from the Falls of Niagara ; and one hundred and forty-one miles from the city of Toronto. This flourishing town may be almost termed a build- ing of a day, for such is its most astonishingly sudden growth, that it stands unrivalled in the whole union, for it was only surveyed, and divided into town lots for building, and settled in J812, and can now boast of a population of nearly twenty thousand inhabitants, and still continues rapidly to mcrease by an annual influx of European emigrants. The situation of this town is most advantageous on the Main Falls of the Genesee River, which give an uulunited water power for the erection of mills and manufactories. At present there are above twenty flour mills, and several saw mills, a 340 cotton factory, and several other extensive mill works, all of whicli are driven by water power. The aqueduct of the Erie Canal which passes over the Genesee River at this place, is a grand work of immense magnitude, and will be surveyed with interest by the traveller. Near tliis place the notorious fall jumper, Sam Patch, made his last and fatal leap into the cascade of this river. Sam had twice before exhibited his extraordinary mad feats at Niagara. When he leaped at this place, it was generally believed he was in a state of intoxication, for he never rose after dropping into the water, till his body was found some time afterwards at a considerable distance down the river from the place of exhibition. The Falls of Genesee at this place are extremely magnilicent ; the cascade is broad and perpendicular, and would be long remembered by the stranger, who had never witnessed the mighty flowing column of Niagara. Seven miles hence to the south is port Genesee, whence conveyance by steam-packets may be had to every port bordering on Lake Ontario. LOCKPORT is sixty-three miles beyond Rochester, on the canal. This is an interesting place, for the canal here has a rise of sixty-two feet by a double set of locks ; and immediately after overcoming this rise, the course of the canal is between two walls of solid rock of from five to forty feet high ; this excavation of several miles was wholly blasted, and was a work of extraordinary labour and expense. It is a place of only a few years' existence, although steadily improving, with a present population of three thousand inhabitants ; these residences \'i 341 *'■; have the appearance of respectability, as iudeed is the case with the whole town, which, with the extensive works already mentioned, makes this a very interesting place for a stranger to sojourn a few days. After leaving Lockport, the next important town worthy of remark is Black Rock, which is the main thoroughfare between the upper province of British America and the United States; particularly by the visitors to the Falls of Niagara. Hence every traveller for Canada must leave at this place the canal boats and embark on board the steam-packet, to cross the River Niagara to Chippawa, a town on the Upper Canada side of the river : the distance across the River Niagara from Black Rock to Chippawa, being eighteen miles. The town of Black Rock is three miles from Buffalo ; three hundred and fifty-nine miles from Albany ; live hundred and five miles from New York ; seventy-eight miles from the city of Toronto ; and twenty-one miles from the Falls of Niagara. Here it may be said commences Lake Erie being situated at the eastern point, opposite to Squaw Island. The chief interest attached to tliis place, arises from its having been the theatre of many military ope- rations during the last war with the American states. According to history, this place was under the command of General Hall in 1813, when it was attacked by the British, who crossed the River Niagara during the night and at day-break commenced operations against the place, Tht neray, after a weak resistance, fled to 5 V '^: V 342 Buffalo ; which, in its turu, was also attacked. Again the enemy fled into the woods. I'he British took numerous prisoners, with immense stores of clothing, ammunition, and provisions, all of wliich were de- stroyed, there being no means of removing them. The towns also, with several ships in the harbours and on the lake, were all destroyed by lire. Buffalo is three miles beyond Black Rock, and at the termination of the Erie Canal ; being three hundred and sixty-two miles from its commencement at Albany. The situation of this place is at the head of Buffalo Creek, on the east extremity of Lake Erie ; in a low unhealthy situation. The cholera has repeatedly made dreadful inroads amongst the inhabitants of this town ; and so late as 1 83;>, Buffalo suffered severely, while every other town in America escaped. The entrance to this place by water is dangerous, the harbour of the lake being mde insecure by a large shoal; hence during the least boisterous weather, the small craft of the lake dare not venture out, although assisted by marks and light-houses. Whereby it often happens that the harbour is completely occupied with weather-bound ships, to the great injury to the trade of the place ; and no less so to the emigrant who intends locating hi the western states. This is the main port of embarkation of travellers and emigrants to all the surrounding ports and shores of Lake Erie ; to Michigan ; Ohio ; Indiana and Illinois territories ; and hU of the most western parts of Upper Canada which border on the eastern shores of Lake Erie, It is stated f r 343 that the Britisli left but one house standing in this place, (lurhig last war : since which time there has been the most rapid progress, for the public and private buildings are commodious and handsome, particularly in the neighbourhood of the public squares; and with a present population of above ten thous?ind inhabitants. 2 V2 ROUTS FROM ALBANY TO MONTREAL, BY THE CHAMPLAIN CANAL. The traveller destined for this route, will take the canal boat from Albany to Whitehall, which is the mam thoroughfare for emigrants from the United States to Lower Canada ; a distance of upwards of sixty miles. Fare, one dollar. After proceeding up the Erie Canal to the junction, (about eight miles distant from Albany,) the traveller will enter the Champ- lam Canal, which there branches off to the north and crosses the Mohawk River a little below the Falls ' The course of this canal to the junction has already' been noticed, while describing :he Erie Canal. The tow path of the Champlain Canal passes over a wooden bridge at this place, of singular and handsome archi- tecture, across the Mohawk River, in the immedr.te neighbourhood of which are the < Cohoes Falls.' These water-falls are decidedly worthy of a visit from the cu nous; the height of the fall bemg more than .eventy ieet; which fall causes the greatest commotion in the river, the roar of which adds much to the wildness of the adjoimiig chores and forest. On this route there are Iter"' 345 innumerable water-falls, competent to drive the greatest mill works. Hence of course there will be severa? important towns, of extensive trade. In short, Waterford is a place of this description, and adjoining the road. * Mechanics'-Ville,' however, is the most important; having, with other works, an extensive cotton factory, with unlimited water power, or privileges, according to the American phrase ; and is nine miles beyond the former place. Remisses Heights.— This elevated ground nearly adjoins the river, and was the theatre, during the revo- lutionary war, of extensive and momentous military operations between the armies of Great-Britain and the United States. On proceeding further, this route leads across several renowned battle fields, particularly < Hoosac,' and * Still-Water.' Here it was that General Burgoyne, with combined forces of English, Germans, and Indians, gave battle to the x\mericans, under the command of General Gates ; exactly one month after- wards did General Burgoyne surrender this noble army of six thousand men, brave and confident. Thus, through procrastination on the part of their Generals, an army was lost, which had repeatedly encountered the enemy; but on all occasions contending against very superior numbers. The natural scenery along this route is highly pleas- ing, and occasionally it becomes bold, wild, and romantic; with an intermixture of well cultivated farms, and numberless straggling log-built villages. 2 F 3 SIG Whitehall.— Here the nortbcrn or Clmmplai-n Canal terminate., and the steam-packet navigation of Lake Champlain commences. I'his is an irregular, wide, and meagre looking town. However, there are some tolerable taverns and stores, and a considerable portion of trade, on account of the navigation of the canal, and its situation adjacent to the head of Lake t hamplani ; for the convenience of which there is a bank, and other public establishments. 'Ilie bold, bluff, cragg .,- rock, which over-towers the harbour of this place with its V ,ither beaten brow, increases much the roman- tic asp( ct of this place. This was once in olden times a milifarj post, the adjoining rock being once the foundation of a formidable work of defence ; however, it has disappeared as a fort, being but a barren rock. Here the traveller destined for Lower Canada, will take the steam-packet and cross Lake Champlain to St. John's, the /(/A'(^-port of debarkation at the northern extremity of the navigation of Lake Champlain in the British province, distant one hundred and sixty miles from Whitehall. 1< are, best cabin, six dollars ; steerage or deck, three dollars. Immediately on leaving White- hall, and prior to entering the lake, the steamer will ply througli a narrovr and beautiful river; although occasionally the progress of the packet is nearly stopped by the shallowness of the river, on passing through some extensive swamps and meadows on a muddy bottom for miles. The adjoining mural rocks which border each side of the river are lofty and bold, and still retain I tv^- 347 upon tlieir brows the ruins of old forts, which seem to tell a fearful tale of former times. Burlington.— This is the chief town on the lake shore. It is pleasantly situated on the eastern elevated bank, and is midway between Whitehall and St. John's, and is in the State of Vermont. Rouses Point. — Here, on a small and low promon- tory, is a castellated fort, of strong and perpendicular stone walls, with three tires of embrasures. Although at the present time it is apparently in a state of dilapi- dation. However, this fort might well command this part of the passage of the lake. A short distance from this will be observaLle a road cut through the forest, T^hich is the boundary line between the British Province and the United States. ISLE-AUX-Xoix, is another British fort, a few miles further on the east shore of the lake. This frontier post is most advantageously situated on a little island, and of course it is better qualified to intercept the passage of the lake by an enemy. The buildings of this fortress are extensive and of substantial masonry, with convenient store-houses. The officers' quarters are neat rustic buildings, as are also those of the soldiers, and are com- petent to accommodate a numerous garrison. The sur- rounding angular bastions have a strikingly formidable appearance, along the top of which are posted sentinels. The wharf or landing place of this fort is rather curious, having been built in imitation of a Chinese landing place, with a large archway topped with a royal crown. 348 111 8 1 5 !'j i 1 Adjoining to the other military works, in a ship-yard for the convenience of building ships of war, for the navigation of the lake in the time of hostilities. After passing this place of arms, the lake shore becomes low, swampy, and covered with a low forest for miles in extent! St. JOHN's.-Here terminates the steam-packet navigation of Lake Champlain, on the route towards Lower Canada. However, there is a shore canal some miles further towards the River St. Lawrence, for small craft. This is a well built respectable town, having every convenience of good stores and excellent taverns, with religious establishments of no mean architecture,' and a custom-house, for the expedition of commerce by the route of this lake-port. The River Richelieu or Sorrel, is crossed at this place by a wcoden bridge of about seven hundred yards in length, a work of much labour and skill, and of course immense expenditure. I would advise the traveller or tourist, to perambulate across this toll bridge, to view the opposite v illages, and make an excursion of moderate circuit into the adjacent district, where the greater part of the farmers are French Canadians. This will present a flivourable opportunity of observing their manners, ha],its, and peculiarities in agricultural and domestic economy ; which, on the whole, presents a lively picture of extremi wretchedness stalking over a fertile soil and nourished by undisguised indolence. St. John's is likewise » military station. A short distance to the south of the town is a considerable embankment, with embrasures 349 for nearly sixty pieces of cannon, adjoining to which are several large buildings, occupied as Government store- houses. This fortress capitulated during the American revolutionary war, tc th'^ Congress General Montgomery. However, not until the British had bravely defended it for six weeks, suffering all the while the greatest priva- tions, although from the first only weakly garrisoned. At length all prospects of succour being despaired of, they were compelled to yield to necessity and over- whelming numbers. The next stage from this place, in the direction of Lower Canada, is direct to Laprairie, a distance of an eighteen miles' stage. Fare, by the stage-coach, one dollar and a half The emigrants with cumbersome luggage and a family, will rather engage a light waggon, the cost of which will be probably half a dollar each in- dividual, with a separate charge for an excess of luggage.* The first part of this stage is along the western shore of the New Chambly Canal and Richelieu River, afford- ing the ♦raveller a convenient opportunity of viewing the rapids and cascades of the river, which from the forco of the current and the extraordinary rocky channel, form in miniature anexaci rciicmblance of the • It is inore than probahlt, that before this date the railroad which connects this phice with the River St. Lawrence, is com- pleted ; for at the time of the author's visit to St. John's, it was in a state of great forwardness. This improvement will alter materi- ally the mod<> of travelling this purt of the route ; for every future einigrant will find it to his advantage to take th') nulroad. -J^ '.I. ■*:jL - 'f ■■ 350 rapids and cascades of the neighbouring and magnificent River St. Lawrence, which the traveller will soon per- ceive hy ocular demonstration. After a nine miles' trip, the stage-coach stops a short time at this half way house. However, the rest at this place >vill be su^.ciently long to allow a hasty visit of the curious traveller to an adjoining French Canadian cottage, which, as usual, will bear the features of indolence, and the land the stamp of the basest tillage. The only objects of interest observable on this route, are the beautiful French Catholic Churches, and the distant pyramidal mountains to the eastward; and likewise according wi>h other routes in this province, will be observed innumerable wooden crosses, erected near the residences of these French Canadian Catholics ; were acts of devotion are com- monly performed by the passing stranger of the Romish Church. Laprairie.— This is the last town or northern ex- tremity of the main route from New York to Lower Canada, prior to arriving at Montreal, and is situated on the south bank of the River St. Lawrence. It is a con- siderable and well built place, with respectable ^rblic buildings ; and with an extensive establishment of nu:<.^, their buildings and grounds being, according to u^a-<>[ surrounded by prison -looking walls. Here is a commo- dious wharf, and all the stir and bustle of a port of commerce : and here the traveller will find that the French language will be nearly the universal language ^i 351 spoken amongst the inhabitants of this place, who are chiefly French Canadian CathoUcs. From this place the traveller will embark on board a steam-packet to cross the St. Lawrence to Montre.i a distance of nme miles. Fare, one shilling. Dm'iig the passage, the glittering tin-covered roofs and spires of the City of Montreal will shew to great advantage, and will excite the most lively admiration m the foreign traveller THE END .»» ^ CI tr he lo ar wi St: Ol C to in CI C ID c tr C ti si b 81 dj i I i j^&» INDEX. Page. A.braham, Plains of 215 Advice to emip;rantri 1 on landing 205 , , 40 Agents, land 101 AgWG A L'ricultural emi^'rants <' ,,, 325 Albany Albiuiy and Scbeaectady I 32; railroad ' Albanysteam-packots....3l7 Qqq American captnnis •• "SI Ancaster " Andre,Major ^-'- Animals, wild Ann, St. llapids 23b . o^ ...221 Antome, fet Amdes, on preserving 1'^ /' 3t25 Atbens . , . , 314 Atheists Anthony's ^ose Ditto ditto 335 Page. Armed ships * •• •**" Arnold, General. . . .217 — 322 Arsenal, United States 332 AuroraBorealis 31 B. Bar, toll. Barges . Barley Barracks ...128 ...119 ...186 ...271 Battery (Quebec) Grand . .210 Battle of Blackrock 34 1 Burlington Heights.279 ..296 , 295 ...214 ...247 — Chippawa . . . • — LundyLane.. — Montmorency Oiidenburgh.^ . pUunsof Abi\ ham. .215 Qneenstown 283 SilloryCove 220 Stillwater 34o C5 — Thames. 2 Q % > 354 Page. Beans i88 Bears, Canadian 147 Hunting 141 Beavers 149 Beverley 2GS R. M. Esq 275 Bee, logging lu; Bells gi Berries 172 Birds, Canadian 150 Black Hawk (steamer). . . .248 Blackroek 341 Brantford 2S I Breweries. . . . « 137 Bridge, Cataraqui 252 — Corduroy 127 — St. John's .348 Union 2^7 British emigrants (15 Broadway 312 i Brokers (passenger) . .23— 30.i ! Brockville o^^ j Brock's monument 28!) ! Buffalo 3.J 2 wild J47 Burlington Bay .27!) (Vermont) . ....•?47 Heights 27!) Burgoyne General 345 B*irning (forest) 17,; Btmi's Lake 2(J7 ButW, Captain 335 Butt«»r(ly, Canadian 155 Brtovru ocjij C. Page. Cabin passengers 23 Canada Creek 335 Land Company.... 37 ■ Roads 281 ^'^VVer, inhabitants 65 Canadians, French 205 ^'=^"''^1« 118 Cannon, old gg Cape Diamond 208 Captains, irregular 14 Carlton, General 2 24 Cascades 04 Castle of St. Louis 211 Castle, Quebec 2O8 Cataracpii Bridge 252 Cathedral, French (Montr.) 227 (Quel)ec)2]2 Catherine's, St 120 Cats, wild j^g Catskill Mountains 324 Cedars 043 Chambly Canal 120-349 Champlain Canal 344 Chandiere Fall- 23? Cherry Valley , 335 f''i'|']'-"'":i 29G ^'''"•'^''■'i 111-342 Choppinu: forest 177 Church, ancient 334 City of the Falls 295 Cleared land , 1^2 Clearing land 174 Climate qq V, MMwlBEft^- i w Tg i 355 Page. passengers 23 I Creek 330 Land Company.... 37 Roads 281 tapper, inhabitants 65 ms, French 206 118 'Oltl 55 •'imond 208 S irri'^ruiar I4 Cfc-neral 2 24 ' 242 t St. Louis , .211 Q"t''H'e 208 li liridy-e o-jo il, French (Montr.) 227 - (Quel)ee)2]2 ^'sSt 120 '^^ 149 Mountains 324 243 Canal 120-349 ^ Canal 344 ^Fall'^ 23? "I'tT ' 336 296 111—342 forest 177 ncient ...334 ^'alls 295 !<• ^ 182 nd 174 90 Page. Climate, effect on animals.. 181 I Clinton, General 324 Clothing 25 Clover seed 192 Coach accident 130 Coaches, stage 125 Cobourg ••>. ...••• .253 Cohoes Falls 344 Coins current in Canada.. 70 Column, Brock's 289 Montcalm's 21G Nelson's 228 Wolfe's 215 Compass ^1 Consumption l'^3 Cooking on ship-board .... 29 Corduroy bridges 127 Corn, Indian 1^8 price 01 80 Cornwall 244 Shore Canal. . . .245 Costbrd's Spaw 2G7 Cows ^^ Cove, Wolfe's 219 Credit sales ItJO Crockery ware 20 Currency tables 320 D. Day of sailing 17 David's Town .'^''2 Dalhousie Gate 210 Port 119 Debarkation 205 Deeds, title . . Deep Cut... Deer stalking wild. .. . Page. .38—42 ....119 140 146 208 136 Diamond, Cape. . . . . • Distilleries Dogs 28^140 Dogtax 200 Ducks, wild 11^ Dundas - ^77 Dundas Street 276 Dugaloup Rapids 246 Duplet Rapids 246 E. Eagle, Canadian 161 Education ° Ellis, Mrs 103 Emigrants, remarks to. .1—10 Agricultural.. 6 British 65 Femii''"- .. •• • !■* . Former hard-? ^ ships of . . > Irish 60-303 .^ Mechanic.... H Pauper. ..5— 203 - Scotch 'o7 Soldier, old.. 69 ... ■ — wealthy 5 . — Tables 01" 202 Erie Canal 326 --- accideats on . .329 fares 331 Ene, Lake H^ 2 G 2 .,^- 3se Page. Tl Exchange , Exchange Offices, New. ,,^ York Ml9 Table of British .320 F. • m » • • « . . . 290 ...2.%' 11)4 Falls, Chaudioro 2.37 Genesee 340 ■~ Mohawk 3;j2 Montmorency 214 ~- — Nianrjira.. "~ — Riileau . . , Fallowing land . Farm, Canadian 43 - French.. 57 Farming by shares 1 ;« Famstead, Canadian 171) - French. .24,'{ Feathered tribe j .-,,j Female emigrants 12 Fences, rail j,,; Ferry, singular 3;}4 Fever, home o ^Ji) Field sports j •{() Fires, incendiary,New York^l 3 Fish, lake jjy ^^'^»'- m ^^°'*^^ 45-51 -dangers 47-62-55 — — • fruitd 4(; — — roads jo(j sports 139 Fort George 287 I*le-Aux-Naix 347 Page. Fort Niagara 287 Penetanguishine 271 St. John 348 William Henry 223 Fortjilain 335 LoL'ks 329 FoxtN, Canadian 143 Frame house ](;g Franklin, Captain 272 ^''■'""^•^ 72^74-75 Frederick, Point 252 I rench Canadians 205 Frogbull I ,-34 Fruits, wild 4,^ Furniture 25 a. Garden, Canadian 170 — seeds 2(> (Tananogu*^ 248 (iatfs, GcriiT;.] 345 (iciicscr l'";ills 340 (Jeorgian Hay 271 Giants Causeway 322 (Jibbonvillf 332 GirdliniT 177 Goats' Islaiid o()| Go"''';'t 345 I'^'ll^ 340 '^:'v 271 au.SL'M a} 322 !'• 332 177 and o(>{ 283 il>t'it.v 309 1 78-319 iiT 282 Cana' 2:i6 * 19 I Page. Grog, cheap 137 , Groose Island U9 H. Habits, Canadian.... 180— 195 Halifax currency. 77 Hall, General 311 Hamilton 279 Harliour, Kingstonc. .... .2r)3 Quebec 205 Toronto 2(i3 Harvest 196 hay 192 Hawks KiO Health 99 . of Upper Canada. .103 Hedges, thorn 197 Helens, St. Island 225 Heron Island 242 Hi^'hlanders 213 Hoboken 321 Hoggs Hollow 2G6 Hogs, Canadian 84 — 187 Hogs, ground 1 50 Holland's Landing 2G8 Honie fever 249 Hoosac Plains 345 Hope, village of 272 Horse, Canadian 80 British 81 Hospital (Quebec) 213 (Toronto) 259 Hounds, fox 1 43 Houa'e, brick. • . . » • 109 Page. House, frame 168 log 163 root 169 Hudson, City 325 River, Map of 317 Steam-packets . . . .318 Hull (England) 18—301 Hull 237 Humming Bird 159 Huron, Lake 1 15—271 Hurontario 276 Hurricanes 96 I. Impositions, Brokers 303 Indian corn 188 Indians, native 69 Indian villages 276—282 66 Inhabitants ol Lower ^ Canada ^ UppiT ditto . . 65 Intoxication, ett'ec is of. ... 71 Irish emigrants G6 — 301 Iron works 222 Island, Heron 242 Nuns' 242 Orleans 204 St. Helen's 225 Islands, Thousand .. .v . . .248 Isle-Aux-Noix 347 Jacques C artier I Jenkins, Captain . . . 2g 3 .291 .247 :ixr.^»«r' 558 f Page. Jersey City.. 321 John' St 348 rtuilway..l24— 319 Johnstone 334 — Sir W. Gcnoral 33a Jones's Rapiils 239 Junction Locks 332 -3 14 K. Keuipont'oldt 2C0 TJay 1 k; Keswick 2(9 K^iug 272 Kingstouc 212 - 2r> I — N avy Yard 112 ' t. ^ Lachino 235 — 21 2 Cuiial 1 20 Lake Champlaiu. . . .112- .'^ > — — St. Clair 2K\ St. Francis 24 4 St. Peter 2i:3 Thousand Islands. . . .2ri3 Lakes, Canadian 112 Land (j clearing 1 74 forest or wild 41 Jots 3G- (jj)— 2Sr} mortgaging 37 oHiees 40 price 37—41 ■— purchasing 33 rent 178 ■'--- rewerve , , , . ■ 40 Pase. Land speculator." 34 Landing, remarks on 204 Laprairie 3;'3() Lenox, Gener.tl 211 Letters, by passengers 299 Levi, Point 220 l^iceiK e, ale 200 Little Falls 330' Lake IIG York lis -2.05 Liverpool fares 302 packets .... 19—298 route 297 l^ocatinn, ri marks on ..... 4 Lockpoit 340 Logiifing 1 70 Liig llres , 95 ll.,;im> ](J3 i.ain'.ou 283 Longovi y case 1(»3 Lcn.i,' Le\t! 337 Lii hiuire 22i Louis, St. Caslle 211 1.11 iro;nr(i O I Luiidy Laue 24)a M. Mac Donald, Colonel 289 i\lair's 'i'avern 2G5 Tiionia^, Es'; 270 Mailland, Por' U» r.T anufactories 1 32 Maple sugar 133 Marriage ,. 13 f 359 Page. I ••• • • • *J'T 204 '.i-)0 -211 •s 299 220 200 XJG IIG .lis -255 a()2 . . 19-298 297 1..;.. 4 340 ircj 95 IG3 283 103 337 221 211 • ••••• aX 2»» 1 289 2C5 2;o U9 133 135 13 Market 79-125 Montreal 229 -^ Toronto 202 'Mary's, St. Rapids 224 Mechanics'- Vi)le 345 Medical practitioners 104 iuibits 105 IMedicines 99 Michigan 342 Lake.. .115 .207 .139 .3.'i2 Mineral waters IMinerals Mohawk Falls Money, American. . . .77 — 319 British 78-320 Letters . . . , 300 Loans 43 Spanish 78 transporting 7<> Montcalm, (leneral 212 Montreal 22(5 environs 231 Montgomery, Gen.349-213-224 's Tavern 205 Montmorency Falls 214 Moimment, Tlrock's 289 N elson 's 228 . Wolfe'.s 215 Montcalm'.s....21G Morgan, Mr 294 Uuijquitocs 49 — 155 Ulcgra 270— 80»- 311 Page. Nelson's momiment 228 Newburgh Letters 324 Newmarket 272 Newspapers 201 — 314 New York 308 Nnns' Island 242 Nunneries 212 — 228 Niagara Falls 290 Northern Canal 346 Oats iij5 Offices, Canada, Land40— 258 Oiliccrs, half-pay 68 Ogdenhurgh 247 Old countrymen 124 Oneida Indians 330 Onions 173 Ontario, Lake 115 Orleans Island 204 Oswi'go ^27 Canal , >38 Otters 149 Owls 161 Oxen 82 P. Palisadoes 322 Parkin, ex-Sheriif 313 Partnership farming 179 Partridges 167 Patch, Sam 294 Pauper emigrants 5 — 203 Pearlash 134 Pears ..172 EMAGE EVALUATION TEST TARGET (MT-3) '^^^O its ^ r/^ 1.0 I.I 1.25 1^ 1^ M IM M 1.8 1-4 llllli.6 V] <^ ^y Plintnorpnhir! JL ^ .s,\^ >L-^^ J^f^i" 1 . " B -,. r -s- .s.&'^M.^ Sciences Corporation 23 WEST MAIN STREET WEBSTER, NY. 14S80 (716) 872-4503 k '9) ^'. ^^^ f I 360 Page. Peas 186 Penetanguishine 271 Pennsylvania, ship 312 Perth 237 Peter's, St. Lake 223 Philadelphia..... 310 Pigeons, wild 1 5H Pike, General 20 1 Plains of Abraham 2 1 .0 Ploughing 1 r>4 Population, Montreal 227 New York ... . 3(.8 Quebec 2()7 Toronto 2r)G Porcupines 1 •"'<• Port Dalhousie 119 Hope 2ii\ Maitland 11!) Potash 131 Potatoes l!^l) Poultry ^<> Pre.oott 24(! Pumpkins 190 Q. Quarantine 10^ . Station.. 204— 308 Quebec '^"T" Queenstown 288 B. Biicoon 142 Kaftd, timber 122 Eailroadu . . . . « 124 .• - Page. Eapids of St. Lawrence. , . . 224 243-246 Rats 150 Redeau Canal 120—237 ^ — • X llllS»#» • « • •••• • • nmO^y Remisses Heights .34.5 Rent of land 1 78 Reptiles ir)3 Reserves, Crown 233 etmmer 3 I '. ' _^.«arrr?~"««s»B=:aingr , 361 Page. 56.... 2-24 - 243-246 , 150 120-237 236 , 345 178 153 Cler^'y 40 348 .120-281 330 160 347 Kti. lalo...326 fj;ar:i . . 339 rego. ..327 •hester 339 Can:uhi327 344 )itt(),>. iiial.. ^ "" tirer. All)any3l7 ■Ul'l'. »ntrcal 218 virigO ,o, l)vf-24l ■ S ' • • • • J ^'••^'^- { 250 • • • • J 'a /I It I. to, by S- 233 Page. From Toronto to Dundas . . 276 Haiiiil- > J,... ton and London ^ ~/ o — Niagara...286 — — Toronto to Pene- ^ 4,„^ tanguishine ^ ^ — -- Liverpool to Now ^ c,(.^ York p-^' Salt Springs, and Salt Manufactories. . . .207—338 Sam Patch 294 — 340 Sandy Hook 305—307 Schenectady 333 Railway 320 Schoharrie Creek 334 Scotch emigrants 07 Sea sickness .23—90 Seeds, garden 20 Seigniorial rights 42 Servants 88 Shantee log 1()3 Sheatte, (ieneral 201 Sheep 83 ■ llolderness S3 Shingles 107 Ship, choice of 14 crowded 10 Pennsylvania 312 Sillory Cove 220 Simcoc Lake 1 16 — 20i) Singsing 323 Sixteen Miles' Creek 276 Ekunk .150 Page. Sleighing 92—95 Snake fences 197 Snipes 157 Society, Montreal Emigrant 203 Soil of C anada 43 Soldiers, old (settlers)..69— 27i Sorrel 223—348 Spearing fish 113 Spirits 80 Sporting, forest 139 Station, wooding 123 Steam-packets 113-120-318 Steerage passengers 23 Stillwater 345 Stock, exl>orting live 27 Stoney Point 323 Stores, sea 22 Storms 30—97 Stumps 174. . 183 Sugar, maple 1 i5 Superior, Lake o '14 Survey, private 170 S(|uirrel shooting. . . . 143 — 151 Sijuaws, Indian 61 T. Table Rock 292 emigration 202 exchange 320 Talbot Settlement 285 Tankards *.... 268 Tappan 323 Tarry Town 322 Tu^cs 199 363 fl I Page. Tay 237 Tecur-seh, Chief 65 Telegraph 208 Temple, David "s 273 Thames River 283 Thermometer range 91— 94 Three Rivers 222 Thousand Islands 253 Thunder 9" Tigar, Canadian 148 Tillage, winter 193 Timber 122-211 Toll-bar I28-2(J5 Tools, (joiners) 20 Toronto 104 — 1 18-- 253 ^'•«>' 332 U. Underbrushing i j-4 V nion College ^34 United States' Arsenal 3:12 Utica ;}3^ V. Vaughan 272 Villages, Indian (j;J_2,^2 Vines, wild -k; Voyage 23-32 Page. Wages 87 to 89 Washington, General 324 Waterford 346 Wealthy emigrants 6 Welland Canal 119 Western Isles 305 States 342 West Point.. 324 Wheat 183 Whitehall 34G Wilberforee Street 270 William Henry 223 Williamsburgh .24 Wilson, Mr. bavid 2r3 Winter 94 Wolff, (icneral 215 Wolfe's Cove 219 nidnuiiifiit 216 Wol ves 148 Wooden crosses . . , , 350 Woodpeeker , , 158 Y. York, Little 118 Ntw 308 Young Street 264 \ W. B, Johnson, Prinitr, Mur/ai-P/uce, Beverley "H^Wm. ^ w. Page. • •87 to 89 General 324 346 igrant.s 6 lal 119 s 305 es 342 324 183 34G Street 270 iry 223 biivid 2r2 94 ral 215 • 219 incut 216 148 *e,s lino Y. 118 308 1 2(>4 , Beverley